Lynch: Sister's marriage had no bearing on his gay marriage opinion

PROVIDENCE, R.I. --A week before Attorney General Patrick Lynch said Rhode Island should recognize gay marriages performed in Massachusetts, he attended the same-sex wedding of his own sister.

But Lynch says his sister Margaret's February 15th wedding in Attleboro to her partner of 18 years had "zero impact" on his decision.

Lynch issued an opinion on Wednesday in response to a request from the Board of Governors for Higher Education. The board wanted to know how to respond to three state employees who wanted their personnel files changed to reflect their same-sex marriages in Massachusetts.

He says the opinion was "well-grounded and well-researched" by his staff and based on a 1904 state Supreme Court ruling.

Rhode Island law does not explicitly prohibit or allow same-sex marriage.

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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.projo.com/