“Marriage-Lite” Coming To New Jersey?
A group of five moderate Republican state senators are all that is standing between full marriage equality and “marriage-equality-lite.” The Journal-News reports,
‘The moderate Republicans instead said they favor strengthening and enforcing New Jersey’s civil unions law, which gives same-sex couples the benefits of marriage without the title.”
and,
“I really appreciate their recognition that civil unions are not working and do not provide equal protection under the law,” said Sen. Ray Lesniak, a co-sponsor of gay marriage legislation in the Senate. “I think we can convince these well-intentioned senators that separate can never be equal.”
Marriage proponents have exactly one month to get a bill passed before Governor-elect Chris Christie – who has said he will veto the bill – takes office.