Now Reading
New York Senate approves same-sex marriage, Colo. pols say bipartisanship key to civil unions

New York Senate approves same-sex marriage, Colo. pols say bipartisanship key to civil unions

 

The New York state Senate passed legislation, 33-29, that will establish same-sex marriage.

 

It will be the sixth state to do so.

 

The bill was passed late in the evening after days and weeks of negotiations amongst Democrats and Republicans. Moreover, it comes almost two years after the state voted against a similar bill.

 

Republicans control the Senate in New York by one vote. The bill was sponsored by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and passed the state assembly last week.

 

One Senate Republican who was previously undecided explained his ‘yes’ vote.

 

“I can not come up with an argument against same-sex marriage,” said Sen. Mark Grisanti, a Catholic Republican. Grisanti is also a lawyer.

 

Grisanti also said civil unions would not be an acceptable alternative because they create chaos.

 

Colorado House Republicans blocked a piece of legislation earlier this year that would have established civil unions here. The bill, sponsored by gay Denver Democrats Sen. Pat Steadman and Rep. Mark Ferrandino passed the Democratically controlled Senate with bipartisan support. The bill was later killed on a Republican party line vote in committee.

 

Steadman has vowed to bring the bill back in the 2012.

 

George Gramer, president of the Colorado chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans, an LGBT organization, reached while traveling said he congratulates the Republicans who voted for the bill but couldn’t comment further as he hadn’t seen the vote.

 

Meanwhile, spokesman for the national Log Cabin Republicans said the aggressive campaign they helped wage in New York could be a model for other states.

 

“We hope to replicate the success in Albany in Denver, in Trenton, in Providence, in Annapolis,” Christian Berle said.

 

Brad Clark, executive director of the statewide LGBT advocacy group One Colorado, said his organization commends the New York Republicans who voted on the traditionally unpopular issue. He also said similar things could happen in Colorado.

 

“For the first time in any state, a marriage bill was passed in a Republican-led legislative chamber. The New York state Senate demonstrated that equality is a nonpartisan issue,” he said. “And with similar bipartisan  support for civil unions in Colorado, I look forward to the day very soon that gay and lesbian couples in this state can have the critical legal protections they need to take care of and be responsible for their families.”

What's Your Reaction?
Excited
0
Happy
0
In Love
0
Not Sure
0
Silly
0
Scroll To Top