New York Senate Approves Same Sex Marriage

Two years of close call votes and nearly forty two years after the Stonewall Riots in New York City, the New York State Senate approved Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Marriage Equality Act.

Four GOP Senators publicly broke ranks with their conference in order to allow same sex couples the right to marry. Earlier this month, Sens. James Alesi and Roy McDonald expressed they would vote in the affirmative. On the floor Friday night, Sens. Stephen Saland, Mark Grisanti, and Carl Kruger – three undecideds – voted in favor of the bill after negotiations completed regarding religious exemptions to the bill.

The bill will go into effect 30 days after Governor Cuomo signs the legislation. New York becomes the sixth state and the largest so far to allow same sex couples to marry. New York – unlike Massachusetts – does not have a residency requirement for marriage.

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