Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Gay marriage bill introduced in New York

Gov. Spitzer's bill has been officially introduced to the state Assembly, apparently "with record support":
New York State Assembly Member Daniel O'Donnell, one of three openly gay members of the state Assembly, officially introduced Gov. Eliot Spitzer's marriage bill in the Assembly yesterday with a record number 53 cosponsors, up from 24 the year before.

...

The marriage bill needs 76 votes to pass in the Assembly, where 69 members have indicated some support for the bill, 48 remain undecided and 33 have voiced their opposition, according to a legislative scorecard being kept by the Empire State Pride Agenda, New York's LGBT civil rights organization.

O'Donnell expects the bill to come up for a vote in the next few weeks, according to the editor of The New York Blade, Trenton Straube. "He said they have enough support to pass it," said Straube, noting that beyond the 53 cosponsors, about 20-some members had privately told O'Donnell that they would vote for the bill.

Unfortunately, the Senate isn't likely to pass a bill, so there's little chance this will become law regardless.

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