Tag: New Jersey

Posted on

New Jersey legislators pass marriage equality

New Jersey lawmakers have passed a bill that would provide same-sex couples the right to wed – a move put forth in defiance of the state’s Republican governor, who’s vowed to veto the measure and has instead called for a referendum to settle the issue.

State assembly members on Thursday voted 42-33, with two members abstaining, in favor of the “Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act.” The Senate approved the measure on Monday by a 24 to 16 count.

But Gov. Chris Christie has said the issue “should not be decided by 121 people in the statehouse in Trenton.”

The governor is expected to “act swiftly” to knock it down when the bill reaches his desk, said Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Christie.

Recent polling, meanwhile, suggests that New Jersey voters are in favor of legalizing such unions.

Fifty-two percent of state voters approve the measure, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll.

Reactions from pro-LGBT organizations:

Freedom To Marry:
“Sadly, Governor Chris Christie has planted his feet on the wrong side of history, and the wrong side of the majority for marriage in New Jersey and nationwide. If the governor sticks with his threat of a veto, Freedom to Marry will work throughout the entire remainder of the legislative session, supporting local families, leaders, and advocates as they make the case and win the extra handful of votes needed to override the veto and do right by these families.”

Human Rights Campaign:
“Today, the New Jersey State Legislature sent a powerful message that all its citizens should be treated equally under the law, and that all families deserve the same protections,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Governor Christie may veto this legislation, but he is out of step with the majority of voters on this issue. We will not give up until marriage equality becomes a reality in New Jersey. HRC has been proud to partner with Garden State Equality (GSE) in achieving this historic legislative victory.”

More at CNN.com

Posted on

New Jersey: Senate approves gay marriage bill

New Jersey lawmakers in the state Senate passed a bill legalizing gay marriage for the first time Monday, despite Gov. Chris Christie’s insistence that he will veto such legislation.

The Senate’s 24-16 vote sends the bill to the Assembly, which is expected to pass it on Thursday.

Six states and Washington, D.C., allow gay marriage, and Washington state will be added to that list when Gov. Christine Gregoire signs legislation legalizing same-sex marriage Monday.

Christie, a Republican, has said he does not believe marriage laws should be changed but does support New Jersey’s civil union law, which grants gay couples the legal protections of marriage.

Christie said he wants to put a change in the definition of marriage to a public vote.  But gay rights groups oppose a referendum. They see gay marriage as a civil rights matter and argue that it should not be up to the masses to protect the rights of a minority group.

Posted on

Five former NJ Governors support passage of same-sex marriage

Five former governors of New Jersey are on record supporting gay marriage, while sitting Republican Gov. Chris Christie remains opposed.

Democrats Brendan Byrne and James Florio told NBC New York Monday they endorsed efforts in the Legislature to pass it.

“I think the climate is right on a basis of civil rights,” said Byrne, the oldest of the former Garden State governors. “I would ask that the Legislature pass it.”

Florio told NBC New York, “I have no difficulties with it.”

“There are already people living together, as good neighbors and good people and contributing to the economy of this state, and I don’t see any reason why they shouldn’t be able to continue with the blessing of marriage,” Tom Kean said.

Former Govs. Jon Corzine and Jim McGreevey are both on record as supporting gay marriage.

Posted on

Gov. Chris Christie on voting on civil rights

“The fact of the matter is, I think people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South. It was our political institutions that were holding things back. I don’t think there’s anything necessarily so special about this particular issue that it must be handled by a legislature. Why would that be? I don’t understand how anybody could argue with letting the people decide this issue. Let’s stop hiding behind this ‘we don’t put civil rights on the ballot’ thing. Ya know, please. These folks would put anything on the ballot if they thought they could win.” – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

NJ Dems respond:

NJ Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver: “It’s impossible to ever conceive that a referendum on civil rights in the South would have been successful and brought justice to minorities. They were fighting and dying in the streets of the South because the majority refused to grant minorities equal rights by any method. It look legislative action to bring justice to all Americans, just as legislative action is the right way to bring marriage equality to all New Jerseyans.”

NJ Assemblywoman Bonnie Coleman: “His words defy history and were extremely insensitive to the struggle for equality of African-Americans and other minorities in this country. Fighting and dying in the streets of the South was not a choice, Governor, it was the only way.”

Posted on

Newark Mayor Cory Booker opposes a popular vote for equal rights

While NJ Gov. Christie would like to put marriage equality rights to a popular vote, Newark Mayor Cory Booker says leaders are elected to make difficult decisions, not submit to a public referendum.

“I shudder to think what would have happened if the civil rights gains, heroically established by courageous lawmakers in the 1960s, were instead conveniently left up to popular votes in our 50 states,” Booker said in a statement.

“Equal protection under the law – for race, religion, gender or sexual orientation – should not be subject to the most popular sentiments of the day,” Booker said. “Marriage equality is not a choice. It is a legal right. I hope our leaders in Trenton will affirm and defend it.”

Posted on

Gov. Christie promises to veto marriage equality in NJ

Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said Tuesday that he would veto a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, and he challenged the State Legislature instead to put the issue on the ballot for voters to decide.

Democrats, who control the Legislature, swiftly rejected the idea, accusing the governor, a Republican, of trying to punt on a politically sensitive issue.

“Marriage equality isn’t like sports betting,” said Senator Raymond Lesniak, a Union County Democrat, referring to a referendum on an amendment to the State Constitution on gambling last year. “It’s a civil right, which is already guaranteed in our Constitution. It’s up to the Legislature to guarantee these rights.”

The same-sex marriage bill is a priority for Democrats, led by the Senate president, Stephen M. Sweeney, who has said that his decision not to vote on a similar bill two years ago, when there was a Democratic governor who supported same-sex marriage, was “the biggest mistake” of his political career.

Gay-rights advocates had been hoping that Mr. Christie, who supports civil unions over same-sex marriage, might sign the legislation, or, if he vetoed it, give Republican legislators tacit approval to vote for an override.

On Monday, he nominated a gay man to the State Supreme Court, and when asked about the prospects for the marriage bill, said that he would make a decision if and when the bill ever reached his desk.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the same-sex marriage bill, 8-4.

A poll released by Quinnipiac University last week found that 52 percent of New Jersey voters believed that same-sex couples should have the right to marry, and 53 percent believed that denying them that right constituted discrimination.
(source)

Posted on

NJ: Gay marriage approaches possible veto-proof support

New Jersey Democrats believe they are within spitting distance of securing enough support to override a veto of same-sex marriage legislation if Gov. Chris Christie chooses not support it. State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, one of the bill’s sponsors, estimated the chamber had between 24 and 27 supporters for legislation to allow for same-sex marriage in New Jersey. It takes 27 votes in the 40-member state senate to override a governor’s veto. “I’m wishing and hoping,” said Lesniak, who also acknowledged that some potential supporters still needed “shoring up.”

Lesniak, a Democrat representing Union County, counted up to 23 Democrats and four Republicans as supporting a gay marriage, but wouldn’t disclose specific names of those he believes would vote to override a veto. Assembly Speaker Shelia Oliver, a Democrat, has said that she has majority support for same-sex marriage legislation, and that she would work to garner the 54 votes necessary for a veto override in the 80-member Assembly.

A new Quinnipiac poll released Thursday morning reveals that for the first time a majority of New Jersey voters (52 percent) support marriage equality with just 42 percent opposing.
(source)

Posted on

Is Gov. Christie moving towards accepting marriage equality?

As it becomes clear that New Jersey’s marriage equality legislation is practically guaranteed to pass both of the state’s lawmaking chambers, the once adamantly-opposed Gov. Chris Christie is now speaking in more ambiguous terms.

Under a headline entitled “Gov. Christie Mum on Gay Marriage Bill,” the Star Ledger reports statements the governor gave on Friday. “They have a right to set their agenda, I’ll set mine, we’ll see who gets there first,” Gov. Christie said while speaking in Camden . “When forced to make a decision, if forced to make a decision on it, I’ll make a decision.”

In the past Christie has been more aggressive about promising to veto any marriage legislation that lands on his desk. However, most LGBT groups in the state are waiting with bated breath, worried it will be between two and six years (dependent upon another Christie term) before same-sex couples are considered equal in the Garden State.

The bill’s backers claim to have the votes to pass it in both chambers. Yesterday the Star-Ledger editorialized their expectation that Christie will block it:

“Let’s face it: This is not likely to succeed while Christie remains in office. He will veto it, as promised, and obedient Republicans in the Legislature will fall in line behind him, as always. That’s the political lay of the land for the next two years, at least. If Christie wins re-election, this stalemate could drag on for six years. To most New Jersey citizens, that is simply not acceptable.”
(source)

Posted on

Majority of New Jersey voters support marriage equality

From OnTopMag: A majority of New Jersey voters say gay marriage should be legal, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll released Friday.

Fifty-two percent of the 903 adults contacted by telephone (landline and cell phone) from October 6-9 said “same-sex marriage” should be legalized. Approval jumps up to 61 percent when the term “marriage equality” is substituted.

Opposed to the union are 39 percent when the term “same-sex marriage” is used. Opposition drops to 27 percent when the term is exchanged with “marriage equality.”

“Support for legalizing same-sex relations in New Jersey continues to be solid,” said poll Director David Redlawsk, a professor of political science at Rutgers University. “Young people are overwhelmingly in favor, though a majority of all age groups is supportive, except for those 65 and over. Whatever it is called, support for state recognition of same-sex marriage remains strong and most likely will grow over time.”