Photo courtesy Marriage Equality New York, part of the New Yorkers United for Marriage coalition
URGENT UPDATE 3:30 PACIFIC: THE STATE SENATE IS BACK IN SESSION. WATCH LIVE STREAMING.
UPDATE 3:41 Pacific: It’s going to be a long night for those on the East Coast: From @APgormley: NY Sen #gaymarriage vote will have to wait through at least 3 comte mtgs & floor debate on other issues. (h/t Chris Geidner)
The latest from New York on the marriage equality bill via NY State Senate Dems (@NYSenDems) – 6/24/11 3:38 PM is “Update: we’re just beginning to receive drafts of legislation and will be conferencing on them at 4PM today. #NYSenate”
UPDATE 1:43 Pacific: Agreement reached on religious exemptions in the bill. From the NYT: “The Cuomo administration and legislative leaders have reached agreement on language that would protect religious institutions from obligations to recognize same-sex marriage, two people involved in the negotiations said on Friday afternoon, potentially paving the way for a vote on the marriage legislation.” HERE’S THE BILL WITH NEW LANGUAGE.
UPDATE 2:10 Pacific: New Yorkers United for Marriage: “The amended Marriage Equality legislation protects religious liberties without creating any special exceptions that would penalize same-sex couples or treat them unequally. The legislation strikes an appropriate balance that allows all loving, committed couples to marry while preserving religious freedom.”
UPDATE 2:15 PACIFIC: @DanielJODonnell: Just conferencd chaptr amendmt to #Marriage #Equality BILL MOVING!! #ssm #gaymarriage #lgbt #ny4m #nysenate #Letusvote
UPDATE 2:24 PACIFIC: Chris Geidner just posted a piece at MetroWeekly noting the nonseverability clause:
THIS ACT IS TO BE CONSTRUED AS A WHOLE, AND ALL PARTS OF IT ARE TO BE READ AND CONSTRUED TOGETHER. IF ANY PART OF THIS ACT SHALL BE ADJUDGED BY ANY COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO BE INVALID, THE REMAINDER OF THIS ACT SHALL BE INVALIDATED.
UPDATE 2:38 Pacific: From The New York Times’s @dannyhakim: Senator Alesi on #gaymarriage vote: “its what I was hoping for” and “it’ll be tonight.” Times confirms vote tonight.
There is some discussion about whether President Obama would have helped or hurt the NY effort if he had said anything about supporting marriage equality in his speech last night. So enjoy new Current TV host Keith Olbermann, reprising his former MSNBC Special Comment to discuss marriage equality:
This is, corny as it seems, not about politics or religion or power or lobbying. It is about love. In a time of impermanence and fly-by-night relationships these people over here want the same chance at permanence and happiness that is already yours. They don’t want to deny you yours. They don’t want to take anything away from you. They want what you want: a chance to be a little less alone in the world. And your acceptance of their love turns out to be your own expression of love to your fellow human beings.
(Please NOTE – I’VE DELETED THE VIDEO UNTIL I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW NOT TO AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGER OLBERMANN’S VIDEO. HERE’S THE LINK IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE WHOLE COMMENT.)
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I really love what Keith Olberman had to say, but I’ve already heard it. When I came to the front page of this web site, I could hear him talking. I wanted to stop the video so I could read the articles without distraction. I went up and down and up and down; it took a long time to find it and stop it. By that time, I had lost interest in the articles. Then when I came to this page, I heard him again!
Please don’t have videos start up automatically unless they are at the top of the page.
THANK YOU for your post. Drove me crazy, too. I asked a friend to help shut off that automatic audio trigger because I don’t know how to do it. Until that’s handled, I just deleted the video and provided a link for anyone who wants to see the whole comment.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
The auto-run problem is with the video embedded via Current. We do not have control over how they wish to have their embedded videos appear on third-party sites. [-Webmaster]