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New Jersey Senate defeats same-sex marriage bill

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The New Jersey Senate voted 20-14 Thursday to defeat a bill that would have legalized same-sex marriage in the state. The Senate Judiciary Committee had voted 7-6 in favor of the bill last month, marking the first time that any body in the state legislature had approved same-sex marriage legislation. The bill's sponsors, Democratic senators Raymond Lesniak and Loretta Weinberg, postponed the vote, saying they wanted to allow a hearing in the general assembly before the vote took place. Supporters had hoped to pass the legislation before outgoing Governor Jon Corzine (D) leaves office on January 19. He had promised to sign the bill, but Governor-elect Chris Christie (R) opposes it, making same-sex marriage unlikely in New Jersey for at least the next four years. Last month, the New York Senate also defeated legislation to allow same-sex marriage. In November, Maine voters vetoed a same-sex marriage bill passed by that state's legislature. The Maine vote came a year after California voters approved Proposition 8, an amendment to the state constitution overturning the state's high court ruling in favor of same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage is currently legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire, and is set to become legal in Washington DC, pending Congressional inaction. New Jersey has recognized same-sex civil unions since 2006.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on January 08, 2010 (boomark / email).