BREAKING: MARRIAGE BILL GETS BOOST; SOURCES SAY SENATE VOTE LIKELY THURSDAY OR FRIDAY

Marriage advocates rally on May 9 in Albany, N.Y.
photo:  Ove Overmyer

Albany, N.Y.--  Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this afternoon it’s now in the Senate Republican conference to support the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Cuomo’s comments came at a news conference this afternoon heralding the support of three formerly undecided Democrats in the yes column: Sens. Shirley Huntley, Joe Addabbo and Carl Kruger.

Both Huntley and Addabbo said their minds had changed when they polled their constituents, and the majority came back supporting gay marriage. Addabbo said that approximatley 6,015 people called or wrote his office on the issue of gay marriage.  An overwhelming number of them, 4,839 to be exact, were in support of the legislation. Kruger, meanwhile, said his switch was very emotional.

“I believe that what we’re about to do is redefine the American family and that is a good thing,” Kruger said.

And earlier today, a top aide to Mr. Cuomo, Steven M. Cohen, said that he expected the marriage bill to come to a vote in the days ahead and insisted that the measure had enough support in both houses of the Legislature to become law.

Senator Alesi leaning toward supporting the bill

Rochester area Senator Jim Alesi said today that he, too, is open to supporting same-sex marriage.

“If the bill comes to the floor the way that I would like to see it, I will support it,” Senator James S. Alesi, a Monroe County Republican, said before going into a meeting with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. Mr. Alesi did not elaborate during his brief public comments to the press.  There were Albany reports that former Rochester Mayor and now Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy also met with Senator Alesi today.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos says he is yet to conference the measure with his colleagues, but expects it to be discussed either Tuesday or Wednesday.

He’s also said he would allow a floor vote if there’s support for an up or down.

The governor, meanwhile, is meeting with gay advocates this afternoon to discuss the measure. Cuomo said at the news conference that he would decide whether to introduce the bill later today.

It’s likely that if it waits until later this week he would need a message of necessity in order to bypass the required three-day waiting period for bills to age.

This brings the total number of Senators publicly supporting the bill to 30.  The bill needs 32 yes votes to pass in the state senate.