December 2, 2009 -- Updated 2111 GMT (0511 HKT)
(CNN) -- The New York state Senate on Wednesday killed a bill that would have legalized same-sex marriage in the state, voting 38-24 against a measure that had the support of the state Assembly and Gov. David Paterson.
Supporters predicted a close vote going into the day's debate and said they would bring the measure back for "as many do-overs as is necessary to get us home," as Majority Leader Pedro Espada put it before the vote.
"There's never a good time for civil rights. There's never, ever, ever, ever a good time for civil rights. I know. I get that," said Sen. Tom Duane, a Manhattan Democrat who was the chamber's first openly gay member. "But the paradox is, it's always the time to be on the right side of history."
Only one senator spoke against the bill during Wednesday's debate. Sen. Ruben Diaz argued that the issue should be put to a statewide referendum and pointed out that 31 states have banned same-sex marriages in statewide votes.....
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