UPDATE 1-New York state lawmakers vote against gay marriage
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NEW YORK, Dec 2 (Reuters) - New York state lawmakers votedagainst legalizing gay marriage on Wednesday, dashing hopes ofgay rights activists that it would become the sixth U.S. stateto allow same-sex couples to wed.
The New York state senate voted down the legislation 38votes to 24. Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat who supports gaymarriage, had said he would sign the bill into law if it werepassed.
Iowa, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermonthave legalized gay marriage, while 40 U.S. states have specificlaws that ban gay marriage. Last month, voters in Maine chose torepeal a law that had legalized gay marriage.
"This is an enormous victory," said Maggie Gallagher, theleader of the anti-gay marriage group, National Organization forMarriage. "What you saw was the will of the people. ... Theculture really hasn't shifted on gay marriage."
New York's Democratic-controlled state assembly has easilypassed the bill legalizing same-sex marriage three times, but thelegislation was never voted upon in the senate until now.
The Democrats hold a senate majority of 32 to 30, but severalDemocratic senators opposed legalizing gay marriage.
New York is one of the most politically liberal states inthe country. Recent polls showed a majority of New York votersfavor allowing same-sex couples to marry, but one poll showedthe public evenly split.
"The depth of sadness that I and many New Yorkers feeltoday is difficult to express," said New York City CouncilSpeaker Christine Quinn, who is gay. "We will not accept defeatand we will not stop fighting until all New Yorkers are treatedequally."
Gay rights lobby group the Empire State Pride Agenda saidmarriage would have entitled gay couples to 1,324 rights --from tax to adoption benefits -- that otherwise would bedenied.
Gay marriage activists will likely now turn their attentionto New Jersey, where the Democratic-controlled statelegislature is considering taking up the issue beforeDemocratic Gov. Jon Corzine leaves office in January.
Corzine has said he will sign a bill legalizing gaymarriage. He was defeated in November by Republican ChrisChristie, who has said he would veto such a bill. (Editing by Michelle Nichols) ((nyc.buro@reuters.com, +1 646 223 6280))
Source: Reuters
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New York state lawmakers vote against gay marriage Dec 2, 2009 @ 01:13 PM
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