Governor Don Carcieri of Rhode Island has been opposed to same-sex marriage since his election in 2006, but after a closed-door meeting with a gay rights group, Carcieri said he would consider creating a domestic partnership system similar to the one approved this month by voters in Washington state.

Washington’s system allows same-sex couples benefits such as the right to use sick leave to care for a domestic partner and rights related to adoption, child custody and child support.

This is an interesting development considering that on Tuesday, the same Governor vetoed legislation that would give same-sex couples in Rhode Island the same right to plan the funerals of their late partners as married couples.

The socially conservative Republican said the proposed protection represents a “disturbing trend” of the incremental erosion of heterosexual marriage. Rhode Island does not recognize same-sex marriage.

“If the General Assembly believes it would like to address the issue of domestic partnership, it should place the issue on the ballot and let the people of the State of Rhode Island decide,” Carcieri said in a letter to lawmakers.

Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in the Legislature and frequently override Carcieri’s objections.