Happy July 24th for Same-Sex Marriage in New York Starts

Same-sex marriage will become legal in the U.S. state of New York on July 24, 2011.

A bill to make it so was passed on June 24, 2011 by the New York State Legislature and signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

In 2006, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that there is no constitutional right to same-sex marriage in New York.[1] Following the 2006 Court decision, the New York State Assembly passed same-sex marriage legislation in 2007, 2009, and 2011. However, the New York Senate rejected same-sex marriage legislation in a 38–24 vote on December 2009.

After negotiations between Republican members of the Senate and Governor Andrew Cuomo, regarding protections against discrimination lawsuits for religious groups and non-profit organizations, a same-sex marriage bill known as the Marriage Equality Act passed the State Senate by a vote of 33–29 on June 24, 2011.

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the measure the same night, allowing the law to go into effect on July 24, 2011.