Dear Commons Community,

The crowd at Sheridan Square outside The Stonewall Inn celebrated when the news that New York State lawmakers voted last night to legalize same-sex marriage making New York the largest state where gay and lesbian couples will be able to wed.

The New York Times reported that the marriage bill, whose fate was uncertain until moments before the vote, was approved 33 to 29 in the Senate. Four members of the Republican majority joined all but one Democrat in the Senate in supporting the measure after an intense and emotional campaign aimed at the handful of lawmakers wrestling with a decision that divided their friends, their constituents and sometimes their own homes.

Senate approval was the final hurdle for the same-sex marriage legislation, which was approved last week by the Assembly. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed the measure at 11:55 p.m., and the law will go into effect in 30 days, meaning that same-sex couples could begin marrying in New York by late July.

Well-Done New York!

Tony