PARTY Post: The Marriage Equality Vote in New York

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(gif courtesy of Waltz on Tumblr)

WELCOME TO THE MARRIAGE EQUALITY VOTE IN NEW YORK
kurt_blaine PARTY POST!!!

~♥ THE BILL PASSED!!!! ♥~

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PARTY HARD, YOU AWESOME, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE YOU!! SO MUCH LOVE TO NEW YORK TONIGHT!!

"NEW YORK IS NOW THE 6TH AND LARGEST STATE TO PASS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE." ~Rachel Maddow

As any discussion post, please keep it civil and remember the community rules.

You can read live updates on this blog:
http://www.bilerico.com/2011/06/live_updates_from_albany_ny_marriage_vote.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2011/06/marriage_live_updates_from_ny_statehouse.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2011/06/live_updates_on_ny_marriage_status.php

New York State senate livestreams and live news coverage:
http://www.livestream.com/nysenate
http://www.knickledger.com/2011/06/live-video-feed-nys-senate/
MSNBC (The Rachel Maddow Show - live coverage): http://tvpc.tv/Channel.php?ChannelID=4094 (thanks to rm)
CNN's Anderson Cooper tweeted he'll have it live at 10E. (thanks to rm)
CNN: http://tvpc.tv/Channel.php?ChannelID=3104
CNN: http://tvpc.tv/Channel.php?ChannelID=3177



Fanart by _afterism






UPDATE:
6/22/2011: The New York State senate has ended sessions for tonight, but will reconvene tomorrow and hopefully then the marriage bill will be brought to the floor.
6/23/2011: rm has posted another update here.
6/23/2011: rm: Senate has adjourned for evening. Back in at 10am Friday. Speculation is this could push to Monday now.
6/24/2011: THE BILL PASSED!


rm has written a summary of what the problem is and what you can do to show your support.

What the problem is: For the last several years the New York State Assembly has passed a marriage equality bill. This year that happened on June 15, and is what Chris Colfer was referencing in the Klaine skits in New York. However, we have a bicameral system in New York, and the problem is our Senate.

Last time marriage equality was up for a vote it lost by six votes. This year we have managed to switch 5 of those no votes to yes, with the governor and others putting strong pressure on other possible swing votes to get us to the required 32 to pass in the Senate.

Today, word has come in that at least one more vote has switched. This means that if marriage equality comes to a vote in New York, it will pass and it will be signed by the governor.

However, the legislative session was supposed to end on Monday. It is continuing now largely because of issues around rent controls and property taxes that need to be hammered out. Once those issues resolve the senate can close for the legislative year without considering marriage equality.

Right now the issue is getting the bill to a vote. If it comes to a vote, we stand a good chance of winning, but the pressure must be put on the Republican-controlled Senate to let the legislative process move ahead.

What's at stake? New York already recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. So the current state of the law is particularly harmful to LGBT people who are poor and cannot afford to go elsewhere to marry.

Blocking marriage equality in NY also blocks national momentum on this issue; which is critical. As the 3rd largest state in the nation a legislative as opposed to judicial victory here would radically change the national discussion.

Additionally, the current state of the laws has large amounts of $$ that we need in a troubled economy flowing to other states around gay weddings.

What you can do:
Contact NY Republican senators who are undecided. Contact the NY Senate majority leader. Your contact matters most if you are a resident of their district or baring that New York State. If you live elsewhere in the US and spend money in NY State and the results on this issue will impact how you spend here, that may be useful to.

Be polite and succinct when contacting. Explain your connection to New York, say you support marriage equality and a vote on the issue and hope the senator will too.

The Senate Majority Leader is Dean Skelos:
(518) 455-3171 (Albany office)
(516) 766-8383 (District office)
email form: http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/dean-g-skelos/contact
Twitter: @SenatorSkelos

Other Republic NYS Senators who are supposedly listening to the public:
@Ball4NY
@senatorsaland
@senatorgrisanti

Protests have been happening at the capitol building each day. Despite the fact that 56% of NYers support marriage equality, there have been larger numbers of those in opposition at the rallies due to better organization and the way support is spread (or not) through the state. If you can get to Albany tomorrow, go.

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