New York’s highest court has dismissed a case challenging the administrative procedures that allows allow gay men and women to marry in New York State. The Marriage Equality Act was challenged on the basis that the NYS Senate violated New York’s Open Meetings Law because it held closed-door meetings before voting on the Act instead of allowing citizens to attend and observe the meetings. The purpose of the Open Meetings Law is to keep citizens informed of what their elected officials are deciding and their reasoning so as to “retain control over those who are their public servants.” Pub. Officers Law, Art. 7 § 100. Last year, an appeals court struck down the Open Meetings argument, and in or around October, 2012, the Court of Appeals declined to hear the challenge, thus allowing the Marriage Equality Act to stand in New York.
