By Andrew Rafferty, Staff Writer, NBC News

Rhode Island took a major step to becoming the 10th state to approve gay marriage Wednesday after the state Senate voted to approve a measure that would allow same-sex couples to wed.

Once believed to be a close call, the legislation passed comfortably by a 26-12 vote. It heads to the House, where it easily passed in January, next week for final approval. Gov. Lincoln Chafee has pledged to sign the bill, and the first same-sex marriages could take place Aug. 1.

Heavily Catholic Rhode Island is the last of New England's six states to legalize gay marriage. The legislation has been introduced in the House every year since 1997.

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