Republican Leadership to Bring Gay Marriage to Vote in NY

In what has been a shocking turn of events in the New York state senate, two democrats defected from the democratic party to become republicans giving control of the senate back to the GOP. Former senate leader Malcolm Smith refused to bring the gay marriage bill to a vote until he was assured it had the votes necessary to pass.

The new senate President Dean Skelos wants to bring up the bill for a vote before the legislative session ends in 10 days. Pedro Espada Jr. one of the democrats who changed his party affiliation still maintains that he firmly supports marriage equality and wants to see the bill voted on swiftly.

If republicans are the ones to bring this bill to a vote and pass marriage equality this will signal an entirely new shift in politics.

Urge President Skelos to bring the bill for a vote before the session ends and to vote in favor of marriage equality!

E-contact form for President Dean Skelos

Albany Office
Room 907 LOB
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: (518) 455-3171

Prospects for Marriage Equality in New York on Thin Ice

CALL TO ACTION: Dec 1st, please take action on this issue!

In New York it boils down to marriage equality or a continuation of denying equal rights. Democrats now have a very slim majority in the senate which paves way for the opportunity to introduce a marriage bill which already passed the legislature, and which the governor is eager to sign into law.

The current obstacle is three socially conservative democrats who refuse to support a democratic majority leader who will put forth a same-sex marriage bill for a vote. These three senators will possibly even cross party lines and caucus with the republicans in order to ensure it doesn't happen.

It is uncertain how a vote on same-sex marriage would turn out, not all democrats support it, and not all republicans oppose it. 5-6 republican senators are likely to vote in favor of marriage equality.

Below are the three socially conservative democrats opposing same-sex marriage and a majority leader who will allow the bill to come to the floor for a vote:

Senator Carl Kruger
kruger@senate.state.ny.us

Office of State Senator Carl Kruger
2201 Avenue U
Brooklyn, NY 11229
Tel: (718) 743-8610

Senator Ruben Diaz
diaz@senate.state.ny.us

1733 East 172nd Street
Bronx, NY 10472
Tel: (718) 991-3161

-Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. - No contact info found

It is imperative that we contact these senators and urge them to vote along the New York Democratic Party platform which supports same-sex marriage. When calling please be sure to let them know as democrats it is their obligation to support Malcolm Smith for majority leader. The fate of marriage equality very well may lie in the hands of a few socially conservative democrats trying to impose their will on the majority.