The New York State gay and lesbian issues lobbying group issued the following statement:

"An agreement was reached to bring the marriage equality legislation for a vote before the end of the year and we will commit the full spectrum of our energies to making marriage equality a reality in the state of New York," said Austin Shafran, spokesman for the Senate Majority Conference.

Thank you to all activists who traveled to Albany yesterday and put pressure on Senators by standing outside the Senate chamber and talking about their families. Also, for all of you who have called and written your State Senator—keep it up. Your advocacy is working.

During the next weeks we will continue our work with Democrats and Republicans to make sure that we have the votes to pass this bill when it comes to the floor. We’ll need you with us every step of the way.

The road has been long and often frustrating, but this public commitment for the first time gives our community a definite timeline and we now know that our lives and families will be debated and voted on in the State Senate in six weeks or earlier. —Staff