Via ProJo:

"An opponent of same-sex marriage, Rep. Jon Brien, D-Woonsocket, called Fox’s shift “a practical political move … [because] the votes were not there on the [House] floor,” a point that even Fox did not dispute. Had that bill gotten that far, Brien said the speaker also knew that he intended to seek a public referendum on “whether marriage is between a man and a woman,” which would have passed over Fox’s objections."

Was the goal really to prevent the people of Rhode Island from deciding? We hope not.