The Republican caucus of the New York State Senate will decide today whether to allow a vote on marriage equality to be brought to the floor of the Senate. This is our last chance to influence swing State Senators.
While you may not be as influential as Michael Bloomberg, multibillionaire and Mayor of New York City...
Senate Republicans are expected to take another crack at the same-sex marriage bill this morning, meeting at around 10 a.m. to discuss whether Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s measure should be brought to the floor for a vote...
And, adding a new element to what’s expected to be an already chaotic day, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office announced this morning that he will travel to Albany to meet with the Republican conference at 11:30 a.m. to discuss the same-sex marriage bill.
you can still add your voice. Below are the phone numbers for New York State Senators thought to be on-the-fence. (31 out of the 32 votes necessary to pass the legislation have been pledged).
Sen. Greg Ball (Putnam County) (518) 455-3111
Sen. Joe Griffo (Utica) (518) 455-3334
Sen. Mark Grisanti (Buffalo, Grand Island, Niagara Falls) (518) 455-3240
Sen. Andrew Lanza (Staten Island) (518) 455-3215
Sen. Jack Martins (Nassau County/Garden City) 518-455-3265
Also, Senator Majority Leader Dean Skelos is the person who has the power to ultimately decide whether to bring the bill to a vote. Please call his office and respectfully request (okay, demand!) that he allow the marriage equality bill to come to a vote. Here is his contact info:
Albany Office
Legislative Office Building, Room 909
Albany, NY 12247
United States
Phone: (518) 455-3171
District Office
55 Front Street
Rockville Centre, NY 11570
United States
Phone: (516) 766-8383
Email address: skelos@nysenate.gov
Update:
ALBANY, N.Y. — State Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos says there's still no decision on the bill to legalize gay marriage in New York that passed the Assembly on Wednesday.
He spoke as he emerged from another private GOP meeting on the issue, this time with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Republican Sen. Martin Golden of Brooklyn says the collapse of a deal to extend New York City rent control regulations late Wednesday night has complicated the gay marriage issue.
Golden says Thursday he still expects the marriage bill to get to the Senate floor for a vote, but that may not happen this week and could be Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.
Bloomberg, a major financial backer of the Senate Republicans, declined immediate comment after meeting with the senators for an hour.
Which is weird, because I thought there was a hard and fast deadline for the session to be over on Monday.