New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said
Friday that he's prepared to strengthen the religious exemptions in
his proposed gay marriage bill, The
New York Times
reported.
The governor made his remarks after
several days of closed-door meetings with Republican leaders in the
Senate.
“I am a proponent of marriage
equality, and I'm working very hard to make that a reality in New
York,” Cuomo told reporters. “I am also a proponent of religious
freedom, and separation of church and state, so these are both very
important principles. I don't see one in competition with the
other.”
The announcement could break a
stalemate in the Senate, which is evenly divided on the issue.
Several undecided GOP senators have
said they were withholding their support over the issue of
protections for religious groups.
Cuomo did not elaborate on specific
concerns.
“We've had good meetings. We've had
good discussions,” Cuomo said. “I believe we can address their
concerns without going over the line.”
The Assembly approved the measure on
Wednesday. And with proponents in the Senate only one vote shy of a
victory, expectations are increasing that it will pass there, too.