New York bill has "no chance" before Election Day, aides say

A 30-plus-year-old gay rights bill has "no chance" of passing before November 5, state legislative aides have told The New York Times. However, Republican governor George Pataki promised gay rights advocates on October 3 that he would do everything he could to get a vote on the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act by the end of the year. The statewide gay rights group Empire State Pride Agenda has said that it is withholding its endorsement of Pataki until the bill is passed. But legislative aides told the Times that Republican state senators, many of whom are opposed to SONDA, have no incentive to pass the bill since Pataki holds a substantial lead in the polls over Democratic challenger H. Carl McCall and, apparently, can afford to lose support from gay and lesbian voters.