ALBANY — A handful of senators is now all that’s keeping gay marriage from becoming state law in New York.
As had been expected for weeks, the state Assembly last night voted 89-52 to approve the same-sex marriage bill championed by Gov. Paterson in an effort to re-energize his Democratic base.
The legislation, which would make New York the sixth and largest state to recognize marriages between same-sex couples, passed the Assembly by a more lopsided vote than when it considered the issue in 2007.
“Change takes time,” said Assemblyman Tim Gordon, an upstate Independence Party member who switched to support the bill. “Clearly this measure will become law in this state, if not this year then next year.”