View of the Senate Chamber during a session of the New York state Senate at the Capitol in Albany. (credit: AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
Reporting Peter Haskell
ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — New York’s Democrat-led Assembly has passed a bill to legalize gay marriage and a critical vote by the state Senate could take place this week if the chamber’s Republican majority brings the measure to the floor.
The Assembly passed the Marriage Equality Act Wednesday night by a vote of 80-63.
Assemblyman Charles Lavine of Long Island said Wednesday he believes his chamber’s approval of gay marriage means that somewhere America’s founding fathers “have smiles on their faces.”
But Assemblyman Dov Hikind of Brooklyn said gay marriage is wrong in the eyes of God.
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Meanwhile, Republican state senators who are key to the future of gay marriage in New York have took a break from their closed-door debate on the issue.
That will delay a possible vote on a legalization bill, although the Senate could still act on Thursday or Friday. The Senate session ends on Monday.
Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos said after a three-hour session Wednesday that no decisions have been made to even send the bill to the floor.
“We will continue to conference the issue tomorrow,” Skelos said.
It remains unknown if there are enough GOP senators bucking the conference position and supporting legalization.
WCBS 880′s Peter Haskell With The Latest Developments
Senate Republicans led an effort to easily defeat a similar bill in 2009.
But enough Democratic and Republican senators have announced changes in their votes that there may now be a tie in the chamber.
At least two remain undecided.
Gay marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington, D.C.
Do You Think The Gay Marriage Bill Will Make It To A Vote? Share Your Thoughts In The Comments Section…
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5 Comments
Here is something for all the “HATERS” of the gay life style to think about. What if the roles were reversed being “STRAIGHT” was wrong. You are now trying to get ‘MARRIED” and some people said it is WRONG. It’s now so funny now is it!
I would like all these people who say the are Christians to show me where in the NEW TESTAMENT that CHRIST talks about “man laying with man” or “woman laying with woman”. You can’t find it because Christ never talked about it. “HE PREACHED LOVE.” Love your neighbor, strangers, etc…. The Catholic Church did not start untill CHRIST started to preach. Remember Peter the disciple who Christ said “Upon this rock I will build this Church.” Also stop going back to the OLD TESTAMENT Leviticus Chapter 18 verse 22. We get it. If you are a TRUE Christian as you say you are why are you following words that are not for you. The OLD Testament is mainly for those of the Jews faith. Remember CHRIST never talked about it, He only preached Love.
I hope You get the picture.
June 18, 2011 at 10:54 am
Didn’t they take an oath to “protect and defend” the Constitution when they took office? A ” no” vote would be exactly the opposite. Regardless of ones “religious” beliefs, they are elected officials put in power to enforce the Constitution-NOT to inject their chosen beliefs into state law. A “no” vote should cost them their jobs as they failed to uphold their oath of office.
June 16, 2011 at 6:09 pm
And the pig, because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. Their flesh you shall not eat,
June 15, 2011 at 10:27 pm
MAT: 19: 3-12 They are born that way and are not meant to marry. Those are the words of Christ! smokersodyssey.com
June 15, 2011 at 8:01 pm
pugphan, you don’t know your bible at all. that verse is talking about eunuchs, not gays.
June 16, 2011 at 8:32 am