N.Y. Governor Proposes Legalizing Gay Marriage
ALBANY, New York -- New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer proposed legalizing same-sex marriage on Friday even though he expects the bill to be rejected by the legislature.
The bill faces opposition from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers who likely will prevent New York from becoming the second state after Massachusetts to recognize marriage of gay and lesbian couples.
Spitzer's bill fulfills a campaign pledge to press for equal marriage rights for same-sex couples, a spokeswoman said.
The governor had said on Monday he did not think it would be passed but that he would submit the proposal as a "statement of principle."
The legislation would offer same-sex couples the same legal protections taken for granted by married people in areas such as property ownership, inheritance, hospital visitation and pension benefits, Spitzer, a Democrat, said in a statement.
It includes a provision that no clergy or religious institution would be compelled to perform gay marriages.
Republicans control New York's Senate and would likely reject the measure. Democrats hold the majority in the state assembly but are not seen having enough backers to pass the law easily.
Dennis Poust, spokesman for the New York Catholic Conference, a lobbying arm of the church, vowed opposition and expressed anger over the governor's proposal in light of another recent bill to strengthen abortion rights.
"It's slam-the-church week for Spitzer," Poust said. "He is going out of his way to stick it to Catholics. He is trying to ram it down the throats of New York and this is mind-boggling."
Massachusetts is the only state to recognize homosexual marriage. A number of other states, particularly in the Northeast, have civil union or domestic partnership laws that grant some conjugal rights to gays and lesbians
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The bill faces opposition from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers who likely will prevent New York from becoming the second state after Massachusetts to recognize marriage of gay and lesbian couples.
Spitzer's bill fulfills a campaign pledge to press for equal marriage rights for same-sex couples, a spokeswoman said.
The governor had said on Monday he did not think it would be passed but that he would submit the proposal as a "statement of principle."
The legislation would offer same-sex couples the same legal protections taken for granted by married people in areas such as property ownership, inheritance, hospital visitation and pension benefits, Spitzer, a Democrat, said in a statement.
It includes a provision that no clergy or religious institution would be compelled to perform gay marriages.
Republicans control New York's Senate and would likely reject the measure. Democrats hold the majority in the state assembly but are not seen having enough backers to pass the law easily.
Dennis Poust, spokesman for the New York Catholic Conference, a lobbying arm of the church, vowed opposition and expressed anger over the governor's proposal in light of another recent bill to strengthen abortion rights.
"It's slam-the-church week for Spitzer," Poust said. "He is going out of his way to stick it to Catholics. He is trying to ram it down the throats of New York and this is mind-boggling."
Massachusetts is the only state to recognize homosexual marriage. A number of other states, particularly in the Northeast, have civil union or domestic partnership laws that grant some conjugal rights to gays and lesbians
I believe the politicaly correct words this site uses is More[ Ball Park Franks] From Barney Frank[:p][:p][:p][:p][:p]
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