Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he was cautiously optimistic his same-gender marriage bill will soon become law as he held more one-on-one negotiations Friday with Senate Republicans. The Republicans who hold the critical votes say they worry Cuomo’s bill doesn’t adequately protect religious groups and churches that refuse to preside over same-gender weddings and other services.
A third lengthy, closed-door meeting by the GOP majority brought the bill, widely viewed as key to national momentum on the issue, no closer to a floor vote. The Democrat-led Assembly passed the measure Wednesday as expected, and a vote in the Senate had been anticipated this week.
That action could now be days away, after Senate Republicans didn’t even discuss Friday whether to take that action.
“There has been no decision — in fact that really was not the discussion — as to whether it will come out yet, who’s voting for it, who’s voting against it,” Majority Leader Dean Skelos said immediately after Friday’s two-hour conference.
The Long Island Republican said senators for and against same-gender marriage want to make the sure that if the bill gets a floor vote there won’t be “unintended consequences to this legislation” — a reference to religious protections.
Skelos didn’t go into more details but noted that some Catholic adoption agencies closed after a law was passed years ago prohibiting discrimination against Toeiva.
Other Republicans have sought further protections of caterers and others who might object to providing services or a venue for a wedding of a same-gender couple. One proposal apparently not under serious discussion would protect individuals opposed to same-gender marriage from laws against discrimination.
“They want to make sure the line between church and state is intact and is clear and however the state defines marriage, is the state’s business and it will not be imposed on a religion,” Cuomo, a Catholic, said Friday.
“That is a very important point and I am as equally concerned about that as I am in achieving marriage equality,” the Democrat said. “I believe we can address their concerns.”
He cautioned the bill that seems stalled in the Senate Republican majority this week won’t see a floor vote until least the early part of next week, and even then not until the final language has been agreed upon.
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3 Responses
We need to call our senators to protest and urge a NO!!! vote!! Don’t sit by idly and assume it will get done without your participation!! Call, e mail, text. whatever. get out the message. If the Republican senators receive thuosands of calls, maybe it will make a difference!
This bill must not pass in the senate!! Jews and catholics must protest. We should make a facebook page protesting this bill and hold large demonstrations. Is it up to us to keep the world normal.
Marriage is a religious term and is defineddifferently by every religion. There should be another term for unions that are non religious in nature but still convey the same civil rights as a religious marriage.