UPDATE 5:20pm Eastern: As of right now, nothing is certain. We don't know who the 32nd senator is. We don't know if Skelos will bring it to the floor tonight, tomorrow morning, or at all. Many reports say they got everytyhing worked out in conference, but a few suggest it was "everything but marriage equality." Supporters and opponents of gay marriage are making so much noise they had to close the chamber doors.
What will the outcome be? Fingers crossed all the possible supposition I've been reporting will be confirmed. Hopefully before the evening is through, we'll have action. Meanwhile, I need to go prepare supper.
UPDATE 7pm Eastern: Senate is going into rules committee after a GOP conference that started about 45 minutes ago. Suspicion that anything not settled already will roll into tomorrow. This ain't over yet!
meanwhile, still no word on the 32nd senator, but I see from various comments here that there may be MORE than 32 and that the bill will pass by a comfortable margin. Let's hope.
Now that my belly is happily full, I'll keep an eye on the feeds this evening until we know for sure.
UPDATE 7:40pm Eastern: It appears the rest of the votes will wait... until tomorrow?
Original diary: Reports are sketchy at this moment...will add more to the diary as I have it, but for now, the Knickerbocker Ledger is reporting
A name has not yet been released, but sources close to those with the New York State Republican Conference have confirmed a thirty-second vote has been “secured” for the passage of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Marriage Equality Act.
Check below the fold for more sources and confirmation AND how you can help....I'm updating like mad right now. :)
UPDATE 4:48pm Eastern: The bill HAS been added to tonight's agenda. There are Twitter updates (including one from Clarknt67), but I haven't found official confirmation yet. Stay tuned. Okay, so that tweet was apparently premature. Fingers crossed, though!
Okay... more from Instinct:
More sources out of Albany (including David Mixner) are reporting that the New York Senate now boasts the 32 votes necessary to pass marriage equality legislation. Details follow.
Writes David Mixner on his Twitter account:
"Inside sources say 32 vote is found! Won't reveal name to protect him/her from pressure from outside."
It appears they may be willing to vote as early as this evening.
From Forbes, about two and a half hours ago:
State legislative leaders said Wednesday afternoon there are no major obstacles to a vote on whether to legalize gay marriage.
Democrats and Republicans emerged from meetings with Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo and said there is progress toward proposed additional religious protections that could bring a gay marriage bill to the Senate floor for a vote as early as Wednesday night.
This certainly is now a matter of Skelos sending it to the floor. As pico recommends in thecomments:
Call the office of Senator majority leader Skelos and ask him (politely) to bring this to the floor for a vote. (518) 455-3171
5pm: Meanwhile, the excitement's gotten so noisy, that "Senate sgt at arms just closed chamber doors, lawmakers had trouble hearing over the chanting outside the senate lobby." (Tweet from @TUCapCon - the Times Union's Capital Confidential blog.)
(Side note: Thanks for the rec list. I can't think of a more wonderful reason to be there...short of the bill actually passing. )