No Obstacle To Bringing New York Gay Marriage To Floor, Say Leaders

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – State legislative leaders said Wednesday afternoon there are no major obstacles to a vote on whether to legalize gay marriage.

Democrats and Republicans emerged from meetings with Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo and said there is progress toward proposed additional religious protections that could bring a gay marriage bill to the Senate floor for a vote as early as Wednesday night. No deal had been struck as of Wednesday afternoon.

More protection for religious organizations such as adoption agencies and marriage counselors is sought by undecided Republican senators who are key to the vote.

Currently, the Senate appears to be one vote shy of making New York the sixth state where gay marriage is legal. It's viewed as a critical moment in the national gay rights movement.

Republican senators went into a closed-door caucus Wednesday morning, but the gay marriage bill wasn't on the immediate agenda as they took up other major issues including a property tax cap, New York City rent control and public college tuition increases.

Outside the Senate conference, members of several congregations sang hymns including "Amazing Grace" alternating with "God Bless America" in peaceful demonstrations by those for and against same-sex marriage.

The Democrat-led Assembly has already passed Cuomo's bill. The issue appears to be one vote shy from approval in the Senate, if the Republican caucus, which mostly opposes gay marriage, allows the measure to the floor for a vote.

If it passes the Senate, the Assembly is ready to adopt any additional religious protections.

Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa and the District of Columbia allow gay marriage. Of them, all but Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., allow at least limited religious exemptions.
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Associated Press writer Michael Virtanen contributed to this report.

Comments

[yoyo1900]

02:14 AM on 07/03/2011

I miss Anthony Wiener photos.

[Rock Biologist]

06:43 PM on 06/23/2011

Well? We're waiting....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=angi1vwUkQc

[KirkCLinn]

10:09 AM on 06/23/2011

Me and my husband got married today 3 years ago in California then prop 8 thats why I ask

[KirkCLinn]

10:07 AM on 06/23/2011

Does NY state allow for citizen constitutional ammendments?

[imayes]

10:00 AM on 06/23/2011

The only obstacle I see is the yellow line going down the backs of the legislators.

[PeterBHayward]

09:46 AM on 06/23/2011

Let's give in to the religious limitations.

The law can always be amended.

[Gyrlznluv]

07:12 AM on 06/23/2011

Is 6/23/2011 New Yorker lucky numbers?
I live minutes from the capital in Albany, and will leave work and run over if goes thru.

[kerry1962]

07:24 AM on 06/23/2011

One can only hope they are. If it doesn't go through, don't drive angry. We will have a good cry, blow our noses and keep fighting the fight.

[kerry1962]

06:28 AM on 06/23/2011

Okay, this is a little OT but the guy in the pic holding the Marriage Now sign looks a bit like Scott Walker. :)

[billc516]

09:30 AM on 06/23/2011

In Scott Walker's secret life, he supports marriage equality? Or ANY equality? That would certainly be something to see!

[kerry1962]

09:37 AM on 06/23/2011

Agreed. :) It would be like watching some combination of Outer Limits and Disney.

[Oblongato]

04:39 AM on 06/23/2011

I still think it's a constitutional matter of equality and the rights to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It should not be up to individual states allow or forbid it - and it certainly should not be a matter put up to a vote in a referendum.

That said, I of course hope it will pass.

[kerry1962]

06:30 AM on 06/23/2011

Agreed. That civil rights have to be legislated on a state by state basis goes a long way to show how much religion-produced fear still exists out there. However, if that's the case, so be it. I will fight for this to pass in my state. I will support those in other states who take on this fight. I hope this passes today.

[kerry1962]

03:32 AM on 06/23/2011

Hoping this will happen today.

[roger g]

04:03 AM on 06/23/2011

This day to day delays really suck.

[billc516]

09:40 AM on 06/23/2011

You're not looking at the big picture! Without these delays, we might still be waiting for corn to be our official state vegetable!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/22/sweet-corn-bingo5-bills-t_n_882389.html#s296444&title=Bill_to_make

[Angrysheepherder]

06:32 AM on 06/23/2011

Wouldn't that be nice? Living in AZ, we went backwards instead of forwards in 2008 and Prop 102 passed that changed our constitution, by the same group that just goes state to state spreading their lies and fear. I really hope NY can get this thing done:)

[kerry1962]

06:42 AM on 06/23/2011

I hate to say this but I fear that if it doesn't pass in NY, my state, then it will be a blow to the national movement for gay equality. I know I'm going to have a good cry either way. I hope they are tears of joy.

[aaronaaaa]

02:09 AM on 06/23/2011

It's hard not to be amazed when you study nature and how life flows seemingly like a fine tuned machine. Men are formed upon the earth and the cycle of life is continued with the formation of females and the bonding of the two. This same process repeats itself in most species throughout the earth. Although it is not officially called such, the bonding that occurs in all of the species is a type of marriage. Laws are not needed to legalize what is already recognized in nature. Laws only become necessary when men venture outside the bounds of nature and attempt to force nature to play by his rules. If homosexuality was a part of the natural course of creation, there would be no need to create laws to legalize the behavior. Chaos is defined as a state of utter confusion. When God established the order of creation, He brought order out of chaos. When men attempt to change this order, it is inevitable that he bring chaos out of order. There are two basic occurrences that lead to God intervening in the affairs of men: one is when the actions of men are pleasing to Him because they are in agreement with the order that He has established leading to the earth being fruitful and blessed; the other is when the actions of men are displeasing to Him because they are in disagreement with the order that He has established leading to the earth being barren and cursed.

[roger g]

04:02 AM on 06/23/2011

lol--

[schildpad]

04:08 AM on 06/23/2011

Sorry muffin, the US isn't a theocracy - although, there are quite a few nice ones elsewhere where I'm sure you could find like minded individuals with which to live.

[Ms NYC]

09:25 AM on 06/23/2011

"muffin" I like that. Meanwhile every person who speaks against gay equality brings up religion when religion has no place in government. No one is asking for the church to marry them. This shouldn't be that hard. What happened to treating people like you want to be treated. There I go on a tangent again.

[GlennInVenice]

10:11 PM on 06/22/2011

Come on NY! History will be kind if you throw your weight on the side of equality for all Americans. How could you ever regret that?

[dgaisior08]

04:08 AM on 06/23/2011

Also how could you regret the huge potential boost in your economy for those of you who can't see past equality being necessary.

[Ioan Lightoller]

09:16 PM on 06/22/2011

If there is no obstacle then bring it to a vote!

[EmmaDarian]

09:18 PM on 06/22/2011

I'm starting to hear promising rumbles.

Fingers crossed.

[Ioan Lightoller]

09:35 PM on 06/22/2011

Me, too, Emma. I am praying for this to pass.

[osmanthus73]

07:15 PM on 06/22/2011

I'm on the edge of my seat! C'mon, c'mon, c'mon NY push it through, make history, push it through, push it through!