The New York state assembly passed the marriage equality bill for the fourth, and perhaps the final, time on Wednesday. The measure now awaits consideration by the senate.

Lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled chamber passed the bill by a bipartisan vote of 80 to 63 after four hours of impassioned but largely civil debate.

“This is an immense step toward achieving true equality for all here in New York,” said Daniel O’Donnell in a statement after the vote. “I am very proud that under Speaker Silver’s strong leadership and with his unwavering support, we in the Assembly have powerfully voiced our deep-seated belief in equality and rejected legalized discrimination yet again. Since we first passed marriage equality four years ago, the need for this law has only grown, with same-gender couples in New York facing daily discrimination from our state. This must end.”

O’Donnell said last week that he expected the bill would pass with a slimmer margin of approval than in 2009, when it passed by a vote of 89 to 52. Democrats lost 10 seats in the last election and a handful of seats remain vacant in the assembly.

Passage of the bill creates momentum, where the measure still awaits approval in the senate. On Wednesday afternoon, the Republican senate conference emerged from a four-hour, closed-door meeting with no decision about whether to bring the bill to the floor for a vote before the session ends on June 20. Senate majority leader Dean Skelos, whose party holds a 32-30 edge, said he and his members would continue their private deliberations on Thursday. Currently, 29 Democrats and two Republicans have said they would vote yes for the bill, which means that one more Republican is needed to pass the measure in the senate.

“The vote by the state assembly has moved New York one step closer to making marriage equality a reality,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a statement. “I applaud these legislators’ prompt and courageous support on this measure, which will finally allow same-sex couples the freedom to marry and provide them with hundreds of rights that others take for granted. I commend Speaker Sheldon Silver for his leadership and Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell for his tireless work fighting for equality. We are on the verge of a pinnacle moment for this state.”

Assemblymembers voted Wednesday after speaker Sheldon Silver sent a “message of necessity” to Cuomo to circumvent the normal three-day waiting period required of a program bill. The governor submitted the Marriage Equality Act to the legislature for consideration on Tuesday after repeatedly indicating that he did not want to see a “one-house” bill or a vote that would fail in the senate as it did in 2009.

Asked Wednesday whether holding the assembly vote indicated a belief that the senate would ultimately take up the marriage equality bill this session, Michael Wyland, a spokesman for Speaker Silver, said, “I would think so, yes.”

The governor’s program bill submitted Tuesday includes language based on the state’s existing law to exempt private religious institutions that do not want to solemnize same-gender weddings or provide facilities such as catering halls for the celebrations. At least one senate Republican, Greg Ball, said Wednesday that he would like to see more substantial carveouts to protect religious institutions.

Religion permeated the debate of the marriage equality bill on the assembly floor on Wednesday. Some said their faith prevented them from supporting the measure, while others said there should be no conflict about a civil marriage bill.

In the most visually startling moment of the debate, the Brooklyn lawmaker held a poster of Lady Gaga as he criticized the marriage equality campaign for using celebrities to promote the issue. He said his religion prevented him from supporting the bill.

“I wish it wasn’t in the book,” said Dov Hikind, holding a copy of the Torah on the assembly floor. “The Torah’s so clear on this subject,” he said. “There is no choice for me. And I am open-minded.”

(Source: Advocate)