Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee promotes gay marriage as an economic engine.

Chafee is expected on Thursday to sign a bill legalizing such unions in Rhode Island.

Shortly after the House approves final language on the bill, the independent Chafee will hold a signing ceremony on the steps of the Rhode Island State House, which overlooks downtown Providence.

“This is the same spot where, in my 2011 inaugural address, I called for Rhode Island to embrace marriage equality,” Chafee said in a New York Times op-ed.

“A historic realignment is happening all around us, as Americans from all walks of life realize that this is the right thing to do. It is occurring both inside and outside of politics, through conversations at the office and over kitchen tables, and at different speeds in different parts of the country. But once the people have spoken, politics should do its part to make the change efficient and constructive.”

“Rhode Island is part of a highly regional economy, with the other New England states and New York in constant competition with us for innovative companies, and particularly for the young, open-minded individuals who are close to the heartbeat of the new digital economy. In our small cluster of states, it is relatively easy for a company or a person to cross a border seeking a more favorable climate. And in recent years Rhode Island has been an outlier among our surrounding states: we are the only one prohibiting same-sex couples from marrying.”

“So tomorrow, when I sign the Marriage Equality Act into law, I will be thinking of the Rhode Islanders who have fought for decades simply to be able to marry the person they love. I will be thinking of how Rhode Island is upholding its legacy as a place founded on the principles of tolerance and diversity. But I will also be thinking, as all governors must, about the economy. With marriage equality becoming law tomorrow night in Rhode Island, we are sending a clear message that we are open for business, and that all are welcome. I hope that leaders in capitals across the country – including Washington – will soon realize that marriage equality is an issue where doing the right thing and the smart thing are one and the same.”