New Jersey State Senate To Vote On Gay Marriage

Just days after the New York State Senate voted down a bill to legalize same-sex marriage, the Garden State is getting ready for the debate. According to the Times, the New Jersey State Senate's Judiciary Committee is gearing up for a vote on gay marriage as early as Monday — with the full Senate preparing for a vote possibly on Thursday.

While the Judiciary Committee is expected to pass the bill, the full Senate vote will likely be closer. Democrats have the majority, but some do not support same-sex marriage rights, so in order for the bill to pass, some Republicans will need to vote for it. The paper of record notes that timing is also important because Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, who supports gay marriage, will leave office on Jan. 19 to be replaced by Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who opposes it.

Despite the less-than-encouraging results of the Maine referendum and the New York State Senate vote, gay marriage supporters including Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Union County) say there is a "momentum change” behind the bill, which seemed stalled until a recent petition boasting the names of more than 2,300 Democratic officials, advocates and residents began making the rounds. One insider said that the Garden State has a better chance of passing the bill than the Empire State. “New York is two different states, New York City and upstate New York,” said Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton). “We’re still the progressive suburbs of Philadelphia and New York City. I believe we’re a more progressive state.”

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By Ben Muessig in News on December 5, 2009 4:03 PM

Comments [rss]

Gregoire

I'm 100% for gay marraige, but I'm not holding my breath for this to pass. I hope I am proven wrong.

bigmikebrooklyn

is it just me, or does the negative space in the new jersey graphic look like kermit trying to kiss a hesitant beeker?

Don

These people, like we are some sort of non entities.

Ptl. Joe Bolton

Let these people get married and suffer like the rest of America; marriage tax and the expense of a messy divorce. They have no idea how good they have it.

jjazznola

No way this will pass. Nor should it. Why not just let the people decide?

Joe Mustich

A popular vote? Gee, can I vote on your marriage too?

Ron

Because it's wrong to allow the majority to decide on civil rights issues. If 'the people decided', then interracial marriage would still be banned (60% of the population opposed it when the Supreme Court called it discrimination.)

nicemarmot

Sometimes you need to protect the minority from the evil of the majority. You know, like people like you who think it's okay to go vote to take away someone else's equal rights.

Alex

More like: the catholic church disagrees.

Steven

“New York is two different states, New York City and upstate New York,”

That comment is somewhat miss leading.

Most of the Hudson Valley (minus Putnam, pockets of Dutchess, Sullivan, Ulster counties) is somewhat liberal leading and of course all the cities in New York State are more liberal leading.

Most of conservative NY is north and west of Albany. Let's not forget about places close to home like Staten Island and Suffolk county which are more conservative.

tsol

Rubén Díaz disagrees.

NannyState

Christie wouldn't veto that bill so much as just sit on it.

handsomedevil

timing is also important because Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, who supports gay marriage, will leave office on Jan. 19 to be replaced by Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who opposes it.

That's a bad sign. We saw here in NY that the GOP is moving in lock-step formation in order to please "the base" these days, and a lame-duck maneuver would probably play more negatively than a regular-session one. Get ready for another big disappointment.

Joe Mustich

It's time NJ.

Onward to marriage equality,

Joe Mustich, Justice of the Peace,

Washington, Connecticut, USA

nicemarmot

Heh. Just imagine how embarrassing it will be if NYC is the only place in the tri-state area that the gays can't get married. Like it's not embarrassing enough about Iowa...