Latest on NY Gay Marriage Bill

Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. — With a logjam of unrelated issues cleared in a proposed mega-deal by New York lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, long delayed action on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage could happen as early as Wednesday.

Last-minute negotiations over further protections of religious groups against discrimination lawsuits were scheduled to conclude Wednesday. That could result in a bill that the Republican-led Senate could decide to send to the floor for a public vote, or kill.

That floor vote could be as soon as late Wednesday or Thursday.

The Democrat-led Assembly is ready to adopt the additional religious protections in the bill proposed by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The mega-deal held up action on the marriage bill as legislative leaders sought to maximize their leverage in each bill.