CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
New York state assemblymember Daniel O'Donnell, who introduced a marriage equality bill last week, said he expects more Republican support this year than when his chamber last voted on the measure in 2009.
"I expect more Republican support than we had last year," said O'Donnell, in a reference to 2009, when the bill passed twice, including an 89-52 vote in May with support from five Republicans. Democrats maintain control of the assembly, but their leadership margin thinned somewhat in the November elections.
"We don't have 89 committed 'yes' votes in our chamber, that is true," said the gay Democrat from Manhattan, who added that he keeps an updated "color-coded chart" on the vote count. "But we certainly have more than we need to pass it and we still have a number of 'maybes' out there."
O'Donnell told The Advocate on Wednesday that the undecided votes in his chamber include an undisclosed number of Republicans that he anticipates could support the bill and potentially provide encouragement for their colleagues in the senate. As of now, no Republican senators publicly support marriage equality, although at least a handful of their votes are essential to victory.
"I do not have any more Republicans than I had before as confirmed yeses," said O'Donnell, who has led the bill to passage in his chamber three times since 2007. "I have not added any Republicans to the 'yes' column but there are a number of Republicans who are in play."
Theoretically, Republican support in the assembly could help nudge Republicans in the senate, especially if the assemblymember represented a district that overlaps with that of a senator who is undecided. At the very least, the vote demonstrates that Republicans can support marriage equality in New York and survive politically, as in the case of Janet Duprey, an upstate assemblywoman who lost the influential Conservative Party endorsement over her marriage equality vote, but won a three-way general election in November with 62% of the vote with backing from the Log Cabin Republicans and other groups.
On other hand, a series of three bipartisan votes for marriage equality in the assembly could not convince the senate in 2009, when the bill failed with no Republican support.
"Clearly, the senate has never looked to its colleagues in the assembly for guidance on anything, but the more, the merrier, in terms of being able to provide political cover," said Republican consultant Thomas Doherty.
O'Donnell said the main reason why he introduced his bill was to generate momentum. His move appeared to deviate from the strategy of the New Yorkers United for Marriage Coalition, which this week issued a statement saying that it does not seek "advancement of one-house bills."
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is working with the coalition to pass a bill by June, has not presented the Republican-controlled senate with a bill yet, and last week he indicated that he did not want to move forward unless the 32 votes can be found to pass the measure. The bill introduction by O'Donnell sparked a round of questions that prompted Cuomo to elaborate on his strategy.
"I don't know how to answer that," said O'Donnell when asked about the criticism of his move, adding that he has been in regular touch with the coalition and had "made it clear" his introduction was a possibility.
"I introduced my bill for the purposes of beginning the process of communicating with my colleagues to gather sponsorship so that we can show forward momentum on the subject, so that if and when the governor sends a program bill, that work has already been done when that happens," he said.
O'Donnell said June is the earliest his bill could be live, with requests for sponsorship extending through May 25. He said the question of when and whether the assembly would vote on the bill rested with the speaker, Sheldon Silver, who supports the legislation.
"Cautious optimism" was how O'Donnell described the overall mood, where he noted the leadership of the governor, popular support in recent polls, and the advocacy from high-profile figures including former President Bill Clinton and his daughter, Chelsea. He seemed less concerned about the ticking clock, with the legislative session scheduled to end on June 20.
"We're still in the advocacy, 'convince them it's the right thing to do' period," he said. As for himself, he said, "I'm hoping to show forward momentum in the sponsorship list as a mechanism to show the senate that there is broad support for this."
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
25 pics of hot, shirtless celebs just to remind us of warmer weather
January 14 2024 10:47 AM
Watch Now: Advocate Channel
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
Why ‘pregnant people’ and other gender-inclusive phrases should be acceptable
May 08 2024 7:30 AM
Why the Boy Scouts of America is changing its name and embracing everyone
May 08 2024 6:20 AM
'Broadway Bares' dancers celebrate the 150th anniversary of jockstraps
May 07 2024 9:10 PM
West Virginia governor’s race is a battle of who can be the most anti-trans
May 07 2024 7:43 PM