NY GOP senator: Religion key to gay marriage vote

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A New York state lawmaker says he’s seen no crack in the GOP bloc against a gay marriage bill, but proposed religious exceptions could make the difference.

Republican Sen. Greg Ball says “arrogance” on the extremes of both sides of the issue has stopped real debate and negotiation on the bill submitted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The Democratic governor says the bill is “roughly” the same as the one defeated by Republican senators in 2009, and doesn’t include additional religious exemptions.

But Ball said Tuesday those exemptions are key to his and other Republicans’ votes. He wants churches, religious groups and individuals personally opposed to gay marriage to be exempt from performing or hosting gay marriages.

The effort now appears to be just two votes from passage.