Tag: New Jersey

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New Jersey: 60% support same-sex marriage

Gov. Chris Christie, who vetoed a bill that would have made marriage equality a reality in New Jersey, may want to pay attention to the very solid majority of his peeps who would like to see same-sex marriage happen in the Garden State.

According to a new poll by Quinnipiac University, 60% of New Jersey support marriage equality versus 31% who oppose.

In my opinion, two things are important here:

1. Equal rights for all is easily the right thing to do.  No-brainer for most.
2. And, when the solid majority of the people want this issue passed, it seems like another no-brainer.

Gov. Christie – pay attention. 

Sometimes, that’s all you have to do to know which way to go.

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New Jersey lawmakers to attempt override of marriage equality veto by Gov. Christie

(image via Memeographs)

New Jersey’s Star-Ledger reports:

The state’s top Democratic lawmakers today urged their Republican counterparts to “vote their conscience” to legalize same-sex marriage, but said some GOP lawmakers won’t do this because they don’t want to cross Gov. Chris Christie.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney said he will hold a vote to override Christie’s veto of a same-sex marriage bill that passed last year, noting that thousands of gay couples in New Jersey will be ineligible for federal benefits unless lawmakers act soon.

But first, Sweeney said, at least a few Republicans have to change their no votes to yes. The Senate president said Christie has intimidated GOP lawmakers, claiming some have privately admitted they would like to change their votes to allow same-sex marriage.

To quash Christie’s veto, Democrats have to muster three more votes in the Senate and 12 more in the Assembly to reach the required two-thirds majority.

(via JMG)

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New Jersey: State Assembly passes “ex-gay” therapy ban

The New Jersey Assembly has approved legislation that would outlaw “ex-gay” therapy by a vote of 56-14.

Passage in the state senate is expected on Thursday.

Governor Chris Christie in March said he opposed the practice of conversion therapy, but on Monday his office declined to comment on whether he would sign or veto the bill.

If enacted, the measure would ban therapists or social workers from performing therapy that aims to change the sexual orientation of patients under age 18.

Currently, California is the only U.S. state to outlaw the practice. But, a federal appeals court has put that law’s implementation on hold while it weighs the issue.

The legislation cites American Psychiatric Association studies that found sexual orientation is determined at birth.

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NJ Gov. Christie names state Attorney to interim US Senate seat

Gov. Chris Christie today named state attorney general Jeffrey Chiesa to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the death of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

Christie’s announcement ended days of intense speculation over whom the Republican governor would appoint to serve nearly five months before voters elect a replacement for the 89-year-old Lautenberg, who died Monday.

New Jersey voters haven’t sent a Republican to the Senate in four decades.

(source)

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NJ: Gov. Christie sets special election dates to fill Senate seat

Gov. Chris Christie has set a special election date of October 16, 2013 to fill the US Senate seat of the recently deceased Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

A primary for each major party will be held August 13, 2013.

“I deem it advisable to have a special election. In fact, I deem it necessary,” he said.

The primary process is needed to give voters a choice, Christie said.

“I will not permit the insiders and a few party elites to determine who the nominee of the Republican Party and the Democratic Party will be,” he said. “A primary election is necessary. The people must choose.”

Christie said that under New Jersey law, he could have named someone to fill the remainder of Launtenberg’s term through 2014, but he chose not to do so.  “I firmly believe that the decisions that need to be made in Washington are too great to be determined by an appointee for a period of 18 months,” he said.

Democrats supported the election be held on the same day as the New Jersey general elections already scheduled a few weeks later November 5th.

The governor said the state will absorb the costs of the special election, estimated by the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services to be about $12 million per election.

Read more at Reuters.

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NJ: Sen. Frank Lautenberg dies at 89

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), the Senate’s oldest member and longtime LGBT ally, has died at 89, North Jersey reports:

The oldest member of the Senate, Lautenberg had struggled with health problems since late last year, when he missed several weeks of votes because of what he said was flu and bronchitis.

The death of Lautenberg, a Democrat who was the longest-serving senator in New Jersey history, creates a vacancy that Governor Christie, a Republican, will fill.

Lautenberg returned to Washington in February and announced he would not seek re-election in 2014, but hoped to complete a series of accomplishments before his term ended.

Lautenberg was the the author of the Ryan White Care Act, which is the largest federally-funded program for people living with HIV/AIDS. He had a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign.

(from Towleroad)

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New Jersey: 62% support marriage equality

New Rutgers-Eagleton poll came out yesterday:

A proposal to place the question of same-sex marriage on the fall ballot also gets broad support; voters want a chance to decide by a 68 percent to 25 percent margin.

Given a chance, New Jersey seems likely to become the latest state to legalize same-sex marriage: 62 percent would vote yes on the question, 30 percent would vote no, while 8 percent are unsure. This represents the highest level of support for gay marriage ever recorded in a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.

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Strong majority support for marriage equality in New Jersey

From a just-released Quinnipiac Poll:

• By a 64 – 30 percent margin, voters support a law allowing same sex couples to marry

• Men support same-sex marriage 60 – 32 percent

• Women support 68 – 28 percent

• Voters over 55 years old – 56 – 38 percent

• Voters 18 – 34 years – 80 – 17 percent among