The bill has broad support in New York's lower house, the assembly, where Democrats have a comfortable majority. But the party holds a slim majority in the Senate, and several Democratic senators have said they will vote against it.

New York Republicans generally oppose the legislation as do large numbers of older and African-American voters, the poll found. It said 53 percent of Protestants were opposed to the measure, with 41 percent in favor. Catholics backed it by a margin of 49 to 41 percent.