New York Senate Fails to Pass Marriage Equality Bill: Lambda Legal Says, "This isn't over."

(New York, December 2, 2009)—Today, the New York Senate took a long overdue vote on the marriage equality bill presented by Governor Paterson but failed to pass the measure, thereby denying equality to New York’s same-sex couples.

Statement from Susan Sommer, Director of Constitutional Litigation at Lambda Legal:


"We are disappointed but not discouraged by the New York Senate’s failure to finish the job started by Governor Paterson and the Assembly. The vote taken today denies justice to the thousands of same-sex couples in New York who are still not allowed to get married in their home state. "

"But justice and equality cannot be held back for long.  Same-sex couples and their families deserve to be treated fairly, and New Yorkers understand that discrimination and exclusion is unfair. "

"As always, Lambda Legal will continue to make the case for equality and will continue to defend the state’s recognition of out-of-state marriages, as we did in New York’s highest court last month.  But no matter how many times we defend families in court or how consistently the state upholds recognition of out-of-state marriages, same-sex couples in New York are still vulnerable to discrimination until they can marry in the state where they live. This is not over. "