It will be stopped in the senate and I am curious as to how many assembly members will vote for it.

Wedding Vows

Gov. Eliot Spitzer on Friday, April 27, introduced a bill supporting same-sex marriage. He is the first governor in U.S. history to do so. However, he also cautioned that the legislation’s immediate future was not promising.

“I do not think there is a realistic shot that it gets passed, but I will submit it because it’s a statement of principle that I believe in and I want to begin that dynamic,” Spitzer said earlier this week.

Nonetheless, gay activists applauded the bill. “Today is a watershed moment in our community’s struggle to win the freedom to marry in New York and have our relationships treated the same as any other relationship under the law,” said Alan Van Capelle, executive director of LGBT advocacy group Empire State Pride Agenda, in an official statement Friday morning.

“We thank Gov. Spitzer for keeping his promise to act on marriage equality and for his commitment to seeing that this bill becomes law,” Van Capelle said.

After introducing the marriage equality bill, Gov. Spitzer said, “This legislation would create equal legal protection and responsibilities for all individuals who seek to marry or have their marriage protected in the state of New York.” He also explained a reason to back the cause: “Strong, stable families are the cornerstones of our society. The responsibilities inherent in the institution of marriage benefit those individuals and society as a whole.”

According to the governor’s office, the legislation will include the following provisions:

* A marriage that is otherwise valid under the law will be valid regardless of the sex of the individuals;
* Government treatment, legal status, and all rights, benefits, privileges, protections or responsibilities relating to marriage will be equal for all individual parties who enter into marriage regardless of the sex of their partner;
* No application for a marriage license will be denied on the ground that the parties are of the same, or a different, sex, and;
* In consideration of private, ethical and religious beliefs, no clergy member or religious institution will be compelled to perform any marriage.