Marriage Bill Introduced in NY

BILL TO MAKE SAME—SEX MARRIAGE LEGAL INTRODUCED IN ALBANY



ALBANY, NY— - Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell, D-Manhattan, introduced a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York. The bill, Assembly 8590, was introduced on Monday May 21, 2007.

The marriage equality legislation has 53 sponsors and cosponsors well above the 24 that signed on to a bill last year offered by Assemblyman Richard Gottfriend, another Manhattan Democrat. Buffalo Assemblymember Sam Hoyt is the only legislature from Western New York to cosponsor the legislation.

The Empire State Pride Agenda, in a release, states that they count 69 Assembly members in favor of the bill, up from 35 but still short of the 76 needed for passage.

A "marriage equality bill" hasn't been introduced in the Senate, but Senator Thomas Duane, D-Manhattan, is expected to introduce a Senate version in the near future.

"We thank each of the 53 Assemblymembers from across the state who cosponsored the bill. We now ask all 53 to work with Assemblymember O'Donnell, our community, and our allies in the labor, business and religious communities to get the votes this bill needs to pass the Assembly and then urge Speaker Silver to bring the bill to the floor for a vote this year," said Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle. —Staff