Democratic Representative Arthur Handy, the sponsor of the gay marriage bill, said he would introduce an amendment to Petrarca's civil union bill, thus forcing a House vote this year on the issue. Many supporters believe Handy's bill would have cleared the House. Less likely is the Senate, where Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed has said she supports civil unions but not marriage for gay couples.

Fox responded that such a move would jeopardize the civil unions bill.
"The result ... would be to kill the civil unions bill, thus denying long-overdue rights to same-sex couples in Rhode Island," Fox said in a statement. "I don't know why Representative Handy would attempt to deny these important rights, and I hope he gives great thought to its negative impact on same-sex couples before offering such an amendment."