Rhode Island has become the nation’s 10th state to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed, after a 16-year effort to extend marriage rights in this heavily Roman Catholic state.

Pro-gay marriage group Minnesotans United for all Families has released its first television ad this session as lawmakers near a likely floor vote on legalizing same-sex marriage.

The successful campaign for gay marriage in Rhode Island could serve as a model for similar efforts in other states and reflects the increasingly sophisticated political strategy driving what just two decades ago was dismissed as a fringe issue.

On the steps of the state Capitol, Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton stood in the sleet on Thursday to encourage a crowd of hundreds to push their legislators to legalize gay marriage this session.

Kelly’s previous bill, which got a cold reception from gay marriage advocates earlier this month, added civil unions alongside any instance of the word marriage in state statute. His new proposal would eliminate marriage from the lawbooks and and enshrine civil unions in its place

As the first committee deadlines of 2013 loom, Minnesota legislators have spent the week holding hearings on high-profile legislation ranging from the legalization of same-sex marriage to state funding for a Mayo Clinic-driven “destination medical center” development push in Rochester.

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the bill on a 5-3 party-line vote after nearly three hours of discussion on Tuesday. The hearings attracted families, couples, religious leaders, children and business executives from around the state to testify for or against the bill. The bill is now ready for a likely late-session vote on the floor of the upper chamber.

Hundreds gathered for the afternoon rally held in the rotunda to push back against the recent introduction of bills in both chambers to legalize same-sex marriage. The rally was held at the same time House and Senate members were holding floor sessions.

After House and Senate DFLers announced the introduction of their gay marriage bill on Wednesday, it didn’t take long for the reaction to make itself felt.

Minneapolis DFL lawmakers Karen Clark and Scott Dibble released the language of the bill at a Capitol news conference on Wednesday. They were joined by Rep. Steve Simon, DFL-Hopkins, who will also sponsor the bill, as well as clergy members and gay couples and their families. Republican Sen. Branden Petersen was not present, but released a statement making his support official.