New York State Assembly passes marriage bill

Edge New York
May 12, 2009

The New York State Assembly passed a bill tonight that would extend marriage to same-sex couples by a 89-52 vote. Assemblymember Teresa Sayward [R-Willsboro] was among the roughly half a dozen Republicans who voted in favor of the bill. She evoked her gay son as she cast her vote.

"The word marriage symbolizes love, commitment and family and why should my son and other sons and daughters around the state of New York [not] have the same opportunity to experience that same commitment, love and family that other heterosexual couples do," Sayward said. "It’s time for us to not only reach in our hearts, but to do what we as elected officials in America have done all along and say we will not accept anything but equal rights."(Link)