Christopher Plante, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage-Rhode Island, told CitizenLink he’s confident “that we will be able to beat this.”

The House of Representatives is poised to take up the bill in 7 to 10 days, he added, saying that the bill may get passed in the House. “In the Senate, we have a much better chance of killing the bill (where) our numbers are different.”

Rhode Island has never voted on redefining marriage. Sponsors of the bill tried unsuccessfully to move the bill forward in 2011.