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So claims the Knickerbocker Ledger:

A name has not yet been released, but sources close to those with the New York State Republican Conference have confirmed a thirty-second vote has been “secured” for the passage of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Marriage Equality Act. As the Senate goes through what is being called “the big ugly” – property cap reform, tuition for public colleges, and rent control regulation – the vote for marriage equality may not be until the wee hours on Thursday.

RELATED: That fucking lying liar from NOM who published today's lie-filled National Review article that NOM has successfully thwarted New York marriage? Now's he's angrily tweeting that OUR SIDE is lying.

Or tomorrow. More vagueness from New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.

Skelos also hinted that his conference and Cuomo are close on amendments to the same-sex marriage bill that would further clarify protections for religious organizations. “My colleagues and [the governor's] counsel’s office are looking very closely at religious protections and I think they will conclude that. Once we have final legislation we’ll discuss it in conference,” Skelos said. For the first time, Silver said he saw a draft of the amendments, and is agreeable on the concepts. He said a vote could be held tonight “if the Senate says they’re doing it and they agree on it.”

(Via - Towleroad)

More here.

Greg Sargent is optimistic.

A historic day for marriage equality? The most important thing to watch today: New York’s state legislature is on the verge of voting to become the sixth state to legalize gay marriage. Proponents are one vote in the state senate short of making today a very big day indeed for marriage equality. The larger story is striking: This year, for the first time, multiple national polls are showing majority support for the notion that consenting gay adults should have the right to marry and enjoy the same benefits of marriage that heterosexual couples do. If New York takes this step today — which would make it the largest state thus far to do so — it will reinforce the sense that the national outcome of this decades-long civil-rights battle, which has produced a truly astonishing shift in public attitudes, is inevitable.

But the reported compromise includes "carve-outs" for religious objections, although it's not yet clear what those exemptions might be.

Gov. Cuomo and Senate Republican boss Dean Skelos could say, "I do" as soon as today on a historic gay-marriage bill that includes strengthened exemptions for religious groups. Negotiators for the Republican-run Senate privately admitted that a deal is near after aides spent the Father's Day weekend ironing out language to appease "religious liberty" concerns that have been raised by several fence-sitting GOP senators.

"In a Manhattan Court in 2005 Justice Doris Ling-Cohen ruled that gay marriage was legal in New York. At the time this ruling was celebrated as a victory for gay marriage rights advocates. New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg decided that gay marriage was wrong for New York and ordered New York City's attorneys to appeal this decision. That appeal resulted in New York's highest court ruling that there is no right to marriage for same-sex couples under the New York State Constitution.

"That litigation has caused a lot of fighting and has cost a lot of money. Now this year, because Mayor Bloomberg sees that Goveror Andrew Cuomo and other leaders are getting close to a victory on gay marriage legislation, he has been spending a lot of his money to make people forget what he did. I believe that Mayor Bloomberg must be credited as having done a lot more than I have done to prevent gay marriage from being legal in New York." - NY Sen. Ruben Diaz, in a typically bizarre statement posted to his official Senate page.

(Via - Good As You)

The vote might come on Monday, if the GOP allows it.

"In the last 24 hours, another shoe dropped in the sprint to redefine marriage in New York. A second Republican has now come forward, promising to vote in favor of same-sex unions. Now that Roy McDonald has crumbled, the senate is just one vote shy of breaking down the door on marriage and redefining the family in one of the most pivotal states in the union. Earlier today, our sources on the ground said that the vote could come as early as tonight. Either way, the bill's fate rests in the hands of the state's Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R), who will make the final decision on whether to bring the legislation to the floor.

"Your involvement is crucial. Our only hope for stopping this runaway train is if New Yorkers call their senate offices today. In particular, reach out to Greg Ball (Putnam County), 518-455-3111; Joe Griffo (Utica), 518-455-3334; Mark Grisanti (Buffalo, Grand Island, Niagara Falls), 518-455-3240; Andrew Lanza (Staten Island) 518-455-3215; Betty Little (Plattsburgh to Glens Falls), 518-455-2811; and Jack Martins (Nassau County/Garden City) 518-455-3265. If you can't get on the phone, please get on your knees. Ask the Lord to intervene in the hearts and minds of these leaders that they would recognize the profound and lasting consequences of this moment." - Hate group leader Tony Perkins.

NOTE: Please do use the numbers provided above!

That vote is a done deal, of course. Meanwhile today state Senate Republicans met for four hours to discuss allowing a vote in their GOP-dominated chamber. The meeting ended with no decision.

UPDATE: Gay City News reports on the Senate.

The New York State Senate Republican majority conference emerged from a closed-door meeting today having failed to reach agreement on whether to allow a floor debate and vote on Governor Andrew Cuomo's marriage equality bill. "We have reached no conclusion," Dean Skelos, the Long Island Republican who is the majority leader, told reporters as he came out of the meeting. "Members have asked me to keep these discussions in confidence, and we will conference again on it tomorrow."

Greg Ball, the Putnam County Republican who has for weeks raised concerns about the need for religious exemptions, continued talking about that issue as he left the room. Earlier in the day, Ball released a letter spelling out requirements for language he would need to see in the bill in order to support it. One of those requirements is that religious organizations be exempt from providing services to which they object on religious grounds -- a demand that would seem to go well beyond the carve-outs already existing in New York law that Cuomo incorporated into his marriage equality program bill.

Today New York state Sen. Ruben Diaz announced that he was ending his membership in the legislature's minority caucus. Most consider this move a reaction to today's news that a majority Senate vote may be there for same-sex marriage. Capitol Confidential provides this short blurb:

Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. sent a letter to the bicameral Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus announcing his departure due to “different philosophies” separating himself and the group. Although not specified, we’re betting those differences have to do with same-sex marriage and not, say, hydrofracking.

According to an article published today by the New York Post, there are now enough "yes" votes in the state Senate to approve marriage equality. The vote is expected to come this week in the last few days of the legislative session.

Seven or more Senate Republicans have signaled Gov. Cuomo that they're ready to legalize same-sex marriage, more than enough to put the controversial and historic measure over the top this week, The Post has learned. A highly knowledgeable Senate insider said yesterday that "far more of the [GOP] members are in play than anyone realizes, including some surprising names from conservative upstate areas." Among the unexpected potential Senate Republican "yes" votes, insiders say, are Kemp Hannon of Nassau County, Charles Fuscillo of Suffolk County, Betty Little of Glens Falls, Andrew Lanza of Staten Island, Greg Ball of Putnam County, James Alesi of Rochester, and Roy McDonald of Rensselaer County -- all of whom helped defeat gay marriage when the vote was held in December 2009.

We've been burned before, so don't hold your breath. But still....

UPDATE: The New York Times confirms three formerly "no" Senate Democrats will switch their votes.

Three wavering Democratic lawmakers in the State Senate have agreed to support legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in New York, several people with knowledge of the negotiations said on Monday, marking a potential turning point for the long-debated measure. The three senators — Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. and Shirley L. Huntley of Queens and Carl Kruger of Brooklyn — all voted against the measure in 2009, when it failed by a wide margin. Their switch to the yes column leaves all but one Senate Democrat supporting same-sex marriage — and the fate of the legislation in the hands of the Republican majority in the chamber. Three Republican senators will now have to vote for same-sex marriage if the measure is to pass in the 62-member chamber. The lone Democrat now opposing the measure, Rubén Díaz Sr., is the Senate’s most vocal opponent of same-sex marriage and is not considered swayable under any circumstances.

Despite the chair begging him to stay on topic (or on ANY topic) noted homophobe Sen. Ruben Diaz continues to ramble about nothing at all. Pity the legislators that have to work with this idiot every day.

"I was so nervous that morning that I threw up. I spoke against him across the street, directly within his view. But then I approached a police officer who escorted me to the podium where he spoke. My grandfather introduced me to the crowd and kissed me on the forehead. 'This is my granddaughter," he said. 'She chose her way of life, but I chose God's way, but I love her.' Grandpa even called me after the rally, to say that he was proud of me for 'respectfully speaking up for what you believe in.' You cannot tell someone that you love them and stay silent when people call for their death. 'Love' is empty when you say someone's life isn't natural. He could quietly vote 'no' if that's what he believes is right. But I want him to know that every word he utters hurts his own blood." - Erica Diaz, openly lesbian granddaughter of NY Sen. Ruben Diaz, recounting her awkward appearance at his Bronx hate rally last month.