New York's Republican-controlled legislature cleared the way Friday to legalize same-sex marriage with a 33-to-29 vote, sending the bill to the governor's desk for his approval.
The vote came after days of delays that saw last-minute lobbying on all sides, passing by a slim margin with Republican support -- the first time a state legislature with a Republican majority has approved such a bill.
Once Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who proposed the bill, signs it, same-sex couples will be able to marry within 30 days.
"New York has finally torn down the barrier that has prevented same-sex couples from exercising the freedom to marry and from receiving the fundamental protections that so many couples and families take for granted," Cuomo, a Democrat, said in a written statement shortly after the vote.
