Victory: NY State Senate to vote on marriage equality

[kpete]

Senate Promises 09 Debate, Vote
After frustrating day for marriage advocates, Paterson announces deal with legislative leaders
Published: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 9:31 PM CST
BY PAUL SCHINDLER

Flanked by four members of the State Senate Democratic majority and the leader of New York's LGBT lobby, Governor David A. Paterson announced an agreement by which the Senate leadership has, for the first time, agreed to debate and vote on a marriage equality bill before the end of 2009.

"This is the first time that the Senate leadership has indicated that it will support a vote on marriage equality," the governor said. "This is a stunning and very happy development in this process. I will continue to place marriage equality on any special sessions that I call on Monday and Tuesday because I feel that the bill should be debated immediately. However, I have profound respect for the leadership of the Senate and the process that they took to bring us to this vote."

Paterson was joined by the Senate's deputy majority leader, Jeffrey Klein, who represents portions of the Bronx and Weschester, Brooklyn Senator Eric Adams, Manhattan Senator Eric Schneiderman, and Thomas K. Duane, the out gay Chelsea senator who is the lead sponsor of the marriage equality bill. Alan Van Capelle, the executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, was also on hand.

The day capped a chaotic "extraodinary session" in which the Senate declined to take action on Paterson's proposals for closing a widening budget gap -- meaning legislators will return to Albany on Monday to resume that effort -- and the Democrats caucused on on and off in passionate, even heated debate about whether the marriage bill would be taken up. As senators moved in and out of the offices of the Majority Conference, dozens of advocates, many affiliated with Marriage Equality New York, kept up a chant of "We deserve a vote."

more:
http://www.gaycitynews.com/articles/2009/11/10/gay_city_news/news/doc4afa27de28e4e003785973.txt
http://openleft.com/diary/15975/victory-ny-state-senate-to-vote-on-marriage-equality

[bluestateguy]

1. Good news

but the victory, if and when it comes, will be when the bill is actually passed.

[TheWraith]

2. I've heard that before. I'll believe it AFTER they've voted on it.

The New York legislature is one of the most dysfunctional bodies in the country.

[CTyankee]

3. I'd like to believe that they wouldn't want to be regarded as assholes by the rest of the country.

But, then, if that's what they are...:shrug:

[PHIMG]

4. Lucy, Charlie, Football.

NYS Democrats better deliver this time.