FINALLY: NY State Senate Passes Gay Marriage

Gay marriage supporters in the state Capitol today (AP).

Two years after the New York State Senate strongly rejected gay marriage it finally came to a vote again tonight. This time, the State Senate voted to legalize same-sex marriage by a margin of 33 to 29. The religious amendments to the bill passed in the Assembly by 82-47 earlier in the evening; now the bill just needs Governor Cuomo's signature to become law.

As the vote began there was some confusion when State Senator Tom Duane started to defend the bill he sponsored—saying "What this bill will do is say that we are family in a way that no other word can. And that word is marriage."—before he was replaced by Senator Stephen Saland who instead defended the bill's amendment, which he worked on. As he spoke about the bill and its inseverability clause it became increasingly clear that he would be the much rumored 32nd vote in favor of marriage equality in New York State.

"I, like many people, have struggled over this issue. It has been a difficult issue to deal with," he said. He then spoke of the thousands and thousands of his constituents who had contacted him and said, "They all asked me to do the right thing. Needless to say my decision on this bill is going to disappoint a significant number of people. I have to define doing the right thing as treating all persons with equality. And that equality includes the definition of marriage."

The religious exceptions amendment passed 36-26.

Only four Senators actually spoke before the vote, getting to a lively start when a grandstanding Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., got into a tiff over time limits with Lt. Governor Robert Duffy. Once he was done, Tom Duane got up to speak again in favor of the bill and showed that going too long was not unique to either side of the debate, leading Duffy to cut him off one last time, "I ask you conclude, and I recognize your vote is affirmative."

Republican Senator Mark Grisanti then spoke about his struggle before coming to his decision to vote for the bill. "A man can be wiser today than he was yesterday," he said.

After Grisanti there was a brief, nerve-wracking recess so Duffy could confer with Senate majority leader Dean Skelos and then Carl Kruger spoke to the Senate, reiterating how difficult this vote is and repeating Duane's line that in this vote "there are no villains, there are only heroes."

And then marriage equality was approved by a Senate vote of 33-29. See who voted for it and who voted against it below.

As the vote went down tens of thousands watched it live online and on TV, or in crowds around the state, most notably in the West Village by the Stonewall Inn where the gay rights movement began in the early hours of June 28, 1969.

Marriage equality wasn't the only vote in the State Senate tonight. The-so called "Big Ugly" omnibus bill made it through 57-5 and Mayor Bloomberg's plan to let livery cabs pick up street hails passed as well.

Here's the State Senate's vote, via Capitol Confidential:
Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn) Yes
Joe Addabbo (D-Queens) Yes
Jim Alesi (R-Monroe County) Yes
Tony Avella (D-Queens) Yes
Greg Ball (R-Putnam County) No
John Bonacic (R-Ulster County)
Neil Breslin (D-Bethlehem) Yes
David Carlucci (D-Rockland County) Yes
John DeFrancisco (R-Syracuse) No
Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx) No
Martin Malave Dilan (D-Brooklyn) Yes
Tom Duane (D-Manhattan) Yes
Adriano Espaillat (D-Manhattan) Yes
Hugh Farley (R-Niskayuna) No
John Flanagan (R-Long Island) No
Charles Fuschillo (R-Long Island) No
Patrick Gallivan (R-Erie County) No
Mike Gianaris (D-Queens) Yes
Marty Golden (R-Brooklyn) No
Joe Griffo (R-Rome) No
Mark Grisanti (R-Buffalo) Yes
Kemp Hannon (R-Long Island) No
Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D-Mt. Vernon) Yes
Shirley Huntley (D-Queens) Yes
Owen Johnson (R-Long Island) No
Tim Kennedy (D-Buffalo) Yes
Jeff Klein (D-Bronx) Yes
Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) Yes
Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn) Yes
Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) No
Bill Larkin (R-Orange County) No
Ken LaValle (R-Long Island) No
Tom Libous (R-Binghamton) No
Betty Little (R-Queensbury) No
Carl Marcellino (R-Long Island) No
Jack Martins (R-Long Island) No
George Maziarz (R-Niagara County) No
Roy McDonald (R-Saratoga) Yes
Velmanette Montgomery (D-Brooklyn) Yes
Mike Nozzolio (R-Finger Lakes) No
Tom O’Mara (R-Elmira) No
Suzi Oppenheimer (D-Westcheser) Yes
Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn) Yes
Jose Peralta (D-Queens) Yes
Bill Perkins (D-Manhattan) Yes
Mike Ranzenhofer (R-Erie County) No
Patti Ritchie (R-North Country) No
Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx) Yes
Joe Robach (R-Monroe County) No
Steve Saland (R-Poughkeepsie) Yes
John Sampson (D-Brooklyn) Yes
Diane Savino (D-Staten Island) Yes
Jose Serrano (D-Bronx) Yes
Jim Seward (R-Central NY) No
Dean Skelos (R-Long Island) No
Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) Yes
Daniel Squadron (D-Manhattan) Yes
Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Queens) Yes
Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) Yes
David Valesky (D-Syracuse) Yes
Cathy Young (R-Olean) No
Lee Zeldin (R-Long Island) No

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Garth Johnston in News on June 24, 2011 9:41 PM

Comments [rss]

josephb76

Like I said, I am happy for those affected by this new law. But I also have the right to question issues and trends without being pigeonholed. You see, that seems to be the way of the world now in our country. You can't have a question about anything. You have to march in step or you're criticized. Well, not here. I'm old enough to have witnessed the Civil Rights movement in 1964, and so I, and many, have lived for over half a century with social struggles. It is only natural for some to simply ask...When and where will it all end? To some, it never will. As for me, I am just wondering...yes, wondering...if it ever will. Again, congratulations to all affected buy this new law.

robingee

So... you like progress but you want it to not go any further? Your point is really really unclear.

virgilstarkwell

so i know the weddings can't happen for like a month, but is the city going to start accepting applications for the licenses starting tomorrow?

josephb76

Ok, great. Congratulations to all that are happy and celebrating. I am happy for you. Now, what's the next issue that you are going to make noise about? Because, the noise is never going to end, is it? It's always something. Clearly, the issue here is that being just like the rest of everyone will never suffice. Now, you can marry, and I am genuinely happy for you. Now, can the rest of us move on and deal with some real problems? I certainly didn't hear all these voices when St. Vincent's hospital was allowed to close in favor of a developer? St. Vincent's had one of the largest HIV patient databases in the country, but where was the noise when Bloomberg allowed it to close? Nowhere. The silence was deafening.
It just goes to show where priorities are nowadays. As a straight guy, I don't understand it. But feel free to cut the cake nonetheless.

robingee

Yep, "it's always something" - different people in this free country wanting equal rights and laws put into place and policies to change for the betterment of our society. That's called progress. Can't stay in 1955 forever, Beaver Cleaver!

Mordicai

Can't we focus on something that really matters, like a very local real estate development deal that I think was unjust? All this "squeaky wheel" complaining about equal rights is harshing my roll.

postercat

You're right. As a straight guy, you don't understand.

You might begin to understand--if you tried to give a damn about anyone but yourself, that is.

postercat

You're right. As a straight guy, you don't understand.

GregJG

Defilement and abomination. Just another day on planet earth.

robingee

Hey, another Asian model/CEO!

postercat

Oh, you mean the trolls? It's true. They can get pretty annoying.

Eric Bringslid

High risk sex is now legal. Someone's gonna be really sorry they picked up the tab for AIDS.

FU Boy

A man impregnating a woman is high-risk sex, if neither parties are aware of the diseases they could by carrying.

RadioGagarin

Since when was "high risk sex," whatever that is, between anybody, not legal?

robingee

Boy, these people are really REALLY running out of things to say! Perhaps they should keep their mouths shut.

evbo

Most New York State uptight Republican crones
Have primitive worldviews all graven in stone
Gay marriage, they forbade
Cuz they all was afraid
That most likely much more than their minds would get blown.

xynthee

So very, very happy about this!! A rare victory for decency and morality!!!

Lloyd Bergenson

Fantastic news. Now it's up to other states to follow our lead.

hotstepper

wooohooo!

pvbklyn

Divorce lawyers are also cheering this . . .

randomtransplant

My own heterosexual marriage is better because this passed. Our union is a sovereign island more free now than it was yesterday to stand up to the world and be defined in the manner we wish to be seen, ourselves, and not by the notions of people whoose traditions we will not be passing on to our children.

ltrain952

Now that they've legalized it, maybe they'll "legalize it"?

robingee

Boy, Chubby Cornhusk with his Corn Is Not A Veggie sign is gonna clutch his tubby heart when he hears this.

SFNY

See, corn *can* be used as a vegetable!! Legally!

Guest

Hopefully, he already has.

Guest

Need any more proof that Long Island is a despicable and loathsome place? Then take a look at that list up there.

randomtransplant

"Long Island" includes 2 NYC boroughs and a sizable delegation of the people who write your laws.

What have you done to make New York a better place? Hiding behind mis-directed provincialism doesn't count.

Guest

Long Island is a shithole filled with garbage people. What have I done? I'm not from Long Island. That's a start.

robingee

Yeah seriously. The counties in way upstate NY aren't much better.

alaBubbe

It was the Senators from Rochester & Buffalo that helped pass this thing you dumbass! While your local provincial NYC-area- pols "shat" upon YOUR rights. Come up to Greater Metropolitan Rochester to see what a large,progressive gay community is really like that ALREADY gets regular support & respect from it's own elected officials!!! Oh,gee,you're too busy thinking NY just means NYC- How provinincial-a real NYC HICK, you are!!!!

randomtransplant

The land of the underground rail road, Quakers, & Seneca Falls doesn't need to be understood to leave its mark on the world.

robingee

LOL, oh calm down. You have to no clue who I am or what I have done. There are 16 "no" votes up there from upstate regions (I am from Rockland, grew up in Orange). No reason to get all bitchy. We won this one.

randomtransplant

Rockland and Orange are still "downstate". hehe sorry couldn't resist.

robingee

WHY YOU! I oughta! (fist shake)

gothamist_tips

Aprove

Sent from my mobile.

Mr. Know-It-All

I just came back from the Drag March, which ends with an impromptu party in front of the Stonewall Inn. They announced the vote while we were gathered outside on Christopher St and the crowed erupted in cheers and dancing. What a party! And the cops were fantastic. They even quietly relented when they saw they couldn't clear the street and rerouted traffic onto Grove St. Huzzah!

choosler

Wow, way to go NYPD!

Mordicai

Right? Lets take a moment to recognize when the police do their jobs professionally & well. Bravo, folks. I know we only squawk when there is trouble-- which is maybe all too often-- but I realize there are plenty of boys & girls in blue who are out there doing a good job, every day. Hip hip hooray.

randomtransplant

Damn straight.

GODfearingChristian35

I do not hate anyone but I will say it is a sad day when New York passed this law. Is everyone forgetting that GOD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah due to homosexual activity. This is sad....America will have to answer for their hatred of the bible and its laws.

FU Boy

"They are a small vociferous minority; and may I take
this opportunity of emphasizing that there is no cannibalism in the
British Navy. Absolutely none, and when I say none, I mean there is a
certain amount, more than we are prepared to admit, but all new ratings
are warned that if they wake up in the morning and find any toothmarks
at all anywhere on their bodies, they're to tell me immediately so that I
can immediately take every measure to hush the whole thing up."

The Catholic church has so many ghosts in it's closet it's hardly worthy of casting the first stone. As Mary O hinted at previously, Sodom's sins were hardly sexual. It was pride and sloth what did that city in. If you believe it was the wrath of God at all.

Mary O'Shaughnessy

Actually, Ezekiel 16:49:
"'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were
arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."
Sounds like current Republican policy to me.

groganz

Repeat after me: "I am a false prophet. God is a superstition."

Drew Pattison

well despite all the priests who can't seem to stop fucking little boys we're all still here so I wouldn't sweat god's wrath over some consenting adults getting married.

Fluffhead513

Actually, g-d destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah primarily because of violent xenophobia... so, FAIL.

matthew731

That's my understanding too. And given the way that our society is doing at welcoming the stranger these days (i.e., hating immigrants), I think that those concerned about our country facing the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah might want to focus on something other than who can register their relationship at City Hall.

petercow

Dude,
If God was gun for people.. I'd think he'd be looking for those, for example, who covered up, and abetted the rape and abuse of children for years.. Decades.

So Archbishop Dolan for one, should have a lot more to worry about, than two adults who want to make a lifelong commitment to one another.

robingee

Ooo, we are soooo scared!

Mordicai

Robin, you forget the flooding all along the South where the Mississippi runs-- clear punishment for those southern states legalizing gay marriage. God's actions are clearly seen in the tornadoes devestating the gay marriage having Midwest*, as well.

(*No offense to Iowa, who was one of the places that beat NY to the recognition of same-sex civil rights!)

banksy

I was expecting more asinine comments tbh, but I guess all the trolls are hiding under the bridge or wherever the fuck they go.

chuzzlewit

well, the New York Times wedding section is about to get a whole lot more interesting. Hooray!

FU Boy

It doesn't do me any good but...

*Happy Dance*

hills35

It won't stop here. They're gonna go after the kiddies next. The rallying cry? "Of course Little Johnny knows how to love. Why should adults get in the way?".

Knightmare6

Well, then, let's ban Catholics from practicing quickly!

banksy

Who's they?

robingee

You know... "THEM!" Those giant radioactive ants!

matthew731

The giant ants that I see when I drink too much tequila? Those bastards...

Mordicai

I for one see no reason why we can't love our Giant Radioactive Insectile Overlords.

robingee

I'm already engaged to one!

Mordicai

I'm just disappointing that IOWA recognized the validity of Radio-Formic-sexual relationships before NY did.

matthew731

Right, just like what's happened in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, DC, New Hampshire, Canada...all those attacks on "the kiddies."

Except that, wait...that hasn't happened. At all. Fearmongering doesn't work as well when there's strong evidence that it's bullshit.

onsugarhill

I'm proud to be a transplant! I know many of us moved to NY in part because of its progressive values, and it's nice to see the state take one more step toward equality.

Think2wice

I'm so glad this has happened, but so pissed at the mind-numbingly long time it took to pass. I mean seriously GOP Senators, did you think you'd burst into flames if you voted "yea".

Guest

It gives me great glee to think that all across New York State, there are gay people looking at their partners and thinking "Oh shit, now what do I do?"

I'm still have a lot of questions on the issue, but for the moment, I'm happy for my fellow citizens that gained equality tonight (if that's the way to phrase it?)

FU Boy

The great truth is that it's now up to the couples to decide "now what do we do".

It's no longer up to others to say what they can or can't.

hills35

Nobody's going to recognize these "marriages"...seriously.

JonClaw

Except, you know, the NYS Government...

hills35

And ONLY them. Private Citizens don't have to. Clerics, adoption agencies, caterers, landlords, employers etc, etc. That's why we live in a free country : )

Mr. Know-It-All

Honey, name five caterers in NYC who aren't gay. And if you don't think they'll have ads in Gay City News by next week, you're stupider than...well...you really couldn't be any stupider.

unretrofiedforu

Really? I guess that makes me fucking your wife ok then - because really, marriages are only real if you think they are right?

John Calabrese

Yeah, except... no. Landlords, employers, etc. will get their asses sued for discrimination. Only religious institutions are exempt.

hills35

And there will be lots and lots of suits. The paperwork will be insurmountable. You cannot force Citizens to recognize your relationships.

ixvnyc

Why do you think that citizens are hateful bigots like you? I'm pretty sure most NYS citizens are nice people.

hills35

But they would NEVER approve of gay marriage. Why do you think they took away Initiative and Referendum?

splicernyc

You mean on a personal level? Legally they'll have to.

robingee

Don't you have something else to do? Like, go to work, eat cereal, watch Real Housewives... anything? Live your life, pumpkin. Don't worry so much about stuff.

unretrofiedforu

Pretty dense - we just did in case you didn't realize.

thatsomeoneisme

Looooooong overdue

m015094

Hey everybody: I want polygamy to be legal. And bestiality. Me too, me too, me too.

Unless you are willing to accept polygamists and other sexual minorities, please don't claim "civil rights" for gays, because you're a hypocrite if you don't accept polygamy.

hotstepper

so which animal is striking your fancy today, loverboy?

ixvnyc

It all started when they freed the slaves, right? Oh, the evil.

Phil Ryan

I'm gay and have no problem with making polygamy legal. Do what you want, I don't really care. Animals can't consent, so bestiality is an invalid argument.

m015094

So you're fine with something as long as a small percent of the population agrees with it?

I guess you're OK with the small percent of the population that is OK with murder?

Just because a small group thinks it' is socially acceptable, doesn't make it right.

Oh wait, if you're against murder, then you're making a judgment against others - just like the 90% of people who are making the judgment to be straight - and not gay.

But I guess your judgment is more righteous than others.

hotstepper

i guess you missed all the polls indicating that A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALITY.

read it from your ideological masters:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011...

m015094

And a MAJORITY of those getting married end up being divorced. So what's your point?

hotstepper

what on earth are you blathering about, fool? your "small percentage" statement was false, you got owned, now sit down.

m015094

Sorry, I should have been more clear. Only a small percent PRACTICE being gay.

Either way, I still believe that "marriage" is an issue between the church and the individuals.

As long as the gov't allows the same benefits for civil unions (taxes, etc.) then I don't really care.

Bernie_Geotz_Squirrel_Luv

He's still pissed that his bikey got stolen.

m015094

You're probably right.

AGWAGW

What does divorce have to do with anything? Answer the question, if a majority of Americans support gay marriage, how is that a "small percentage of the population"?

FU Boy

Your argument holds no water, even by Catholic standards.

The moral foundation of the 10 commandments has no provision for being gay. Being gay is not among the 7 deadly sins.

To equate murder and homosexuality is to make assumptions against what is laid out in the bible.

And if you want to judge, I say to you "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven" Luke, 6:37

yincrash

Also with murder, there is a victim. The person who dies doesn't consent to murder (that would just be assisted suicide).

banksy

Don't pay any attention to the trolls. Their arguments are nothing more than conclusions with nothing factual to back it up. They make ridiculous statements involving insane jumps in logic and expect people to take it seriously.

FU Boy

I like giving trolls just the right amount of rope to hang themselves, especially in religious debate.

The bible has enough loopholes so that the uninformed look like fools when they take the high-and-mighty path.

schmeep

You might like doing that, but a troll has no interest in actually debating, but just throwing grenades. There's no point arguing back with ridiculous premises with an 'actor.'

FU Boy

Maybe so, but isn't it good sport to try and shut them up?

After all, public forum shouldn't be controlled by fools. That's how I like to see it, at least.