Albany Update: New York Senate Delays Marriage Vote

The outlook for a marriage equality bill in Albany is not good. The New York State Senate convened at noon for the special session called by Gov. David A. Paterson. The Senate has reportedly delayed the highly anticipated vote on marriage "indefinitely as gay rights supporters continued to lobby for additional votes", reports the New York Times.

Republicans and Democrats said that as of Tuesday afternoon the measure was still several votes short of the 32 necessary for approval. About five Democrats remained either opposed or noncommittal, meaning that Republican votes were needed to secure passage.But not enough Republicans have committed yet to voting yes, legislators said. The Democrats have a slim 32-30 majority in the Senate.

It was unclear when the Senate would take the issue up. Wednesday is Veteran’s Day and a holiday, meaning that it would be at least the end of the week before they could vote on the bill. "It sounds like today is just not going to be the day," said Senator Eric T. Schneiderman, a Democrat from Manhattan who has been one of the same-sex marriage bill’s main proponents. "There are a lot of us who want to see it voted on and passed as soon as possible. So if today’s not the day, I think our views on the overall strategy don’t change."

Senators entered the chamber shortly after noon and took up a resolution honoring veterans. When Brooklyn's Dem. Sen. Eric Adams took the floor, he explicitly linked recognition of veterans to the proposed marriage equality vote. Said Adams: "There is no greater honor we can give our veterans than to ensure that every American, regardless of their gender, has the right to marry."

About an hour ago, the Daily News' Liz Benjamin quoted one source involved in the senate's marriage equality bill negotiations who said, "It is not coming to the floor." Benjamin says equality advocates were "once confident of 27 firm 'yes' votes from the Democrats" and up to a half dozen Republicans seemed "gettable".

The budget deficit that now exceeds $3 billion is apparently the issue. With no agreement between the governor and legislative leaders on how to reduce the deficit, many senators are unwilling to put same-sex marriage up for a vote first.

The Senate has not adjourned yet.

UPDATE: 2:20ET Majority Leader Sen. Pedro Espada Jr tells the Times: "We’ll come back next week."

Comments

[Doug Cooper Spencer]

With so many black lawmakers continually standing behind gay rights, how is it that people think the black community, as a whole is so rabidly homophobic? It's usually the white lawmakers who stand in the way.

[Nathan James]

@Doug Cooper Spencer: I wonder the same thing sometimes. If even Sen. Eric Adams, a former NYPD captain (and perennial thorn in the department's side) is supporting gay marriage, then I can't understand why people of color as a community can't. Oh, wait, they're worried we will want to marry in "their" straight-oriented churches. Can't have those impressionable children thinking they live in a diverse society, heaven forbid! SMH...

[Harrison]

@ Rod:

I saw Sen. Adams' quotes on other blogs and had no idea he was black. Thanks a million for posting his picture and always reminding us that our BLACK governor is pushing for gay marriage. I hate to say this but it almost seems like the white gay blogs want to encourage black vs gossip tensions...I know Queerty does...