ALBANY — Senate Republicans stunned the Capitol last night by abruptly adjourning without holding a much-anticipated vote on gay marriage — a move that also allowed rent regulations to expire.
Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Nassau) blamed ongoing disputes with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) over proposals to relieve local governments from state-mandated costs.
“I’m convinced — how many times have I said that? — we will get it done,” Skelos said. “I want to have all the bills in print, everything, and then we’ll discuss the same-sex marriage [bill].”
The Senate’s departure left more than 1 million Big Apple apartments without rent regulations for the second time in two weeks.
Lawmakers planned to return to the Capitol this morning.
The blowup derailed plans for an all-night marathon session in which lawmakers were expected to vote on a flurry of historic proposals from Gov. Cuomo, including an expansion of rent regulations, a cap on rural and suburban property taxes and same-sex nuptials.
Earlier, the stage appeared set for a gay-marriage vote after Skelos vowed to take up the issue with Republican senators.
The measure, which has already passed the Assembly, remains just one vote shy of Senate passage.