N.J. Senate rejects bill legalizing gay marriage
By The Star-Ledger Continuous News Desk
January 07, 2010, 4:39PM
TRENTON -- The state Senate rejected a same-sex marriage bill today, a major victory for opponents who contend the measure would damage religious freedom and is not needed because the state already permits civil unions.
The 20-14 vote defeating the measure followed an hour and a half of public debate inside the packed Senate chamber. The nearly thousand supporters and opponents of the bill held rallies on the Statehouse steps.
Statewide polls have shown New Jersey residents closely divided on same-sex marriage, and leading up to today’s vote, indicators showed a majority of the senators opposing the measure.
But momentum for the bill grew after Gov. Jon Corzine lost the November election. He has promised to sign the measure before Gov.-elect Chris Christie takes office. Christie has said he opposes the bill.
After the vote, Corzine said he was appreciative the bill was publicly debated, but was "deeply disappointed by the final tally on this common-sense measure that would have assured equal rights for all New Jerseyans."
"Most assuredly, this is an issue of civil rights and civil liberties, the foundation of our state and federal constitutions," the governor said. "Denying any group of people a fundamental human right because of who they are, or whom they love, is wrong, plain and simple."
Last month, the legislation cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee after hours of emotional debate and testimony, which set the stage for today’s full Senate showdown.
New Jersey passed a domestic partnership law in 2002 and legalized civil unions in 2006, but supporters say there are major flaws, like problems with pension benefits and hospitals denying visits to partners. They say gay couples do not have equal rights without being allowed to marry.
Just four state have legalized gay marriage, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont, while 30 states have banned it through constitutional amendments.
There were three abstentions in the vote. They were Sens. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen), Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and James Beach (D-Camden). Sen. Andrew Ciesla (R-Ocean) was not present and Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington) has been out sick while she fights cancer.
