Joe.My.God. LGBT News
Senate Republicans on Wednesday were close to signing off on a religious protection provision that could boost the chances that gay marriage will pass in New York. “We’re close on language that I believe satisfactorily addresses the issue,” said Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-S.I.), who remains undecided on the issue. Some senators have said such tweaks could sway them to vote “aye” on same-sex nuptials. Others, though opposed to gay marriage, said they would not support even bringing the bill up for a vote without stronger religious protections than Gov. Cuomo included in his legislation.
Any vote on the controversial measure to make New York the sixth and largest state to approve same-sex nuptials was put off until today or tomorrow after lawmakers spent the day haggling over elements of a massive rent-and-tax-cap deal central to Gov. Cuomo’s agenda. Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-LI) said Republicans yesterday had not even discussed bringing the marriage bill to a pivotal public vote, despite thunderous daylong protests, both for and against. Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan), whose house passed the bill last week, both confirmed they had seen draft amendments of strengthened religious exemptions.
Sen. Greg Ball, R-Patterson, Putnam County, yesterday called for a vote in the Senate on legalizing same-sex marriage. Even though Ball is officially undecided, he said the public should get a vote on the issue, despite an attempt by the state Conservative Party to quash a vote. “There should definitely be a vote, up or down. We live in a democracy,” Ball said. He went on to question the Conservative Party’s thinking on the issue, saying that same-sex marriage may ultimately become law in New York at some point and perhaps its best to fight for as strong as legal protections as possible for churches and religious organizations that wouldn’t want to perform gay marriages.