Openly gay New York state
Representative Daniel O'Donnell on Tuesday introduced a gay marriage
bill in the Assembly.
O'Donnell, a Democrat from Manhattan,
has successfully shepherded the bill through the chamber three times
since 2007.
“It is with great pride that I am
introducing the Marriage EqualityAct,” O'Donnell said in a
statement. “Since the Assembly last passed the bill in 2009, there
has been an overwhelming groundswell of support for marriage equality
across our state. Recent poll numbers have shown a strong majority
of New Yorkers now stand firmly in support of marriage equality.”
The move comes a day after an estimated
1,200 supporters stormed the Statehouse.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has said he's
made the issue a priority of this legislative session. Cuomo
recorded a robo-call in support of the campaign and sent
his lieutenant, Bob Duffy, to speak at Monday's rally.
In 2009, Republicans, with the help of
several Democrats, killed a similar bill in the Senate. Nearly two
years later, a majority of Senators remain opposed to gay marriage.
State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., the
Senate's most vociferous opponent of marriage equality, and the
National Organization for Marriage (NOM) will rally
against the institution's legalization at a Sunday rally in the
Bronx.