Despite hours of impassioned, emotional speeches, the state Senate Dec. 2 defeated a bill that would have achieved marriage equality by legalizing same-sex marriage.

The bill failed by a vote of 38 to 24, with eight Democrats joining all Republican senators voting down the bill. The state Assembly had approved the bill earlier in the year.

The Senate vote marked the first time that chamber had debated and voted on the issue. In prior years, the Assembly approved the legislation, but the Senate had refused to consider it.

Delegates to UUP’s 2009 Fall Delegate Assembly passed a resolution in support of the marriage equality legislation.

Marriage equality is expected to come up again during the 2010 legislative session, and UUP will fulfill the wishes of its delegates by working to gain approval for that legislation.

— Donald Feldstein