ALBANY—The legislative session in both houses next week has been pushed back a few hours to accommodate the funeral of John Marchi, the independent-minded Republican state senator and father of Staten Island secession movement.
The State Assembly will convene at 4 p.m. Monday; the State Senate at 5 p.m. Leaders of each chamber are expected to attend the 10 a.m. funeral Mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church.
This means the Assembly will delay taking up a same-sex marriage proposal, which had been scheduled for a floor vote Monday. Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell explained that "in light of Mr. Marchi's funeral and the shortened session on Monday, it will not be taken up next week."
The measure is expected to pass that chamber; it advanced out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee Tuesday. Its passage in the State Senate is still not certain.
Dan Weiller, a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, said Tuesday the bill will come to the floor "soon."
