Bestiality isn't just a great topic for gubernatorial candidates to joke about—it's something that's legal (or at least, not explicitly illegal) in at least 14 states in the United States Of Freedom. Among those states is New Jersey, which finally took steps toward outlawing bestiality this week. It won't change what happened to those cows in 2009, but it is progress.
"I wish I could take credit for the bill but I cannot," Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, who sponsored the bill, told the Star-Ledger. He said the idea actually came from an intern in his office. We can only imagine what inspired this mysterious intern to take a stand, but it's working: the Assembly Judiciary Committee voted 6-0 to approve bill A3012 on Thursday.
Now it has to be pass both the Assembly and Senate, and be approved by Gov. Chris Christie. On the one hand, NJ legislation is known for hitting traffic jams. On the other hand, we reserve the right to make wild assumptions about anyone who votes against the bill. Keep in mind, this bill doesn't "include any medical procedure performed by a licensed veterinarian," so you can still get your dog that facelift he's been begging for. And worst case scenario, there's always Florida.
