Same-Sex Marriage on Agenda in New York

In the aftermath of the momentous loss in Maine this week, New York Governor David Paterson said Thursday that he would press for a vote on gay marriage during an extraordinary session of the Senate he is calling for Tuesday, according to the New York Times.

While a same-sex marriage bill has already been passed twice in the Assembly, it faces an uphill battle in the Senate.

The governor controls the agenda in the Senate but he cannot force lawmakers to take action. However, Senate President Malcolm Smith, who earlier advised against taking a vote until it was certain the bill would pass, appears to be warming up to the idea of voting on the issue.

The bill's sponsor in the Senate, openly gay Senator Tom Duane, has said that the measure has the votes to pass in the Senate.

While Democrats hold a majority, members are not entirely united on the issue. For the measure to pass, several Republicans-none of who publicly support gay marriage-would need to cross over and come forward.

"We look forward to hearing our lives and our families debated on the Senate floor next Tuesday," Alan Van Capelle, executive director of Empire State Pride Agenda, told supporters in an email Thursday, reported by OnTop.

"It's now time that each of the 62 State Senators vote their conscience on this bill that has great implications for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in all parts of the state," he added.