New York Gov. David Paterson is calling the Legislature back to Albany for an "extraordinary session" on Tuesday to reduce the $3 billion deficit and possibly vote on legalizing same-sex marriage. Few expect the governor and lawmakers to agree on the contentious budget reduction and actually vote by Tuesday. That means other issues, such as marriage equality, could dominate the session, reports the New York Times City Room Blog:
Whether Senate Democrats allow a vote on same-sex marriage remains to be seen, and it is far from certain that the measure would pass in the Senate even if it does come to the floor for a vote. Same-sex marriage has already been passed twice in the Assembly, but it faces an uphill battle in the Senate.
Democrats have a shaky 32-30 edge in the chamber, but several Democrats do not support same-sex marriage. The governor included the measure on Senate agendas this summer, but gay advocates were concerned about holding a vote then because the Senate was in the midst of a bitter leadership feud. Now, however, advocates are pushing for a vote, despite the uncertainty about how the Senate will act. And the governor has little influence over his fellow Democrats in the Senate; members of the caucus said that they do not plan to travel to Albany on Monday, at the governor’s request, to listen to an address he wants to give to a joint session of the Legislature.
Attendance on Tuesday will be mandatory under state law. However, the governor can call the legislature into session but cannot force a vote on specific issues. A spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader John Sampson would not say whether there would be a vote on same-sex marriage. Malcolm A. Smith, the Queens Democrat and Senate president, said, "If it’s on the proclamation, I would assume we would bring it out for an actual vote."
The Democrat-led Assembly approved 89-52 its version of the marriage bill in May. The bill has been stalled in the Senate.
2010 aint too far around the corner.
If they don't deliver, GLBT people WILL remember!
Posted by: T'realist One | 05 November 2009 at 18:42
Those in the State Senate would do well to remember their conduct of last Summer, when the people of New York were deprived of a functioning state government for several weeks. They have a lot to answer for if they expect to be re-elected. One way they can mitigate the damage they caused during their parliamentary coup--which revolved around the gay-marriage issue--is, at a minimum, to vote on the bill.
I'm still trying to get my head around Democrats who won't support the gay-marriage bill. But the Dems here have been acting strange lately. A little more support from New York's Democrats, and Bill Thompson (a true friend of gays over the years) would be the Mayor-elect of New York City today. Both parties want to portray themselves as "friends" of the LGBT community, but after Election Day, we get kicked back into obscurity again. We'll see if our State senate can actually vote on gay marriage without fracturing this time. I ain't holdin' my breath, though.
Posted by: Nathan James | 06 November 2009 at 13:52