Just Before Announcing Presidential Run, Chris Christie Vetoes Important LGBT Legislation

Last night, NJ GOP Governor Chris Christie vetoed bipartisan pro-LGBT surrogacy legislation.

Right now, Chris Christie is making his official announcement that he is running for president. But last night, the New Jersey Republican governor made the decision to veto bipartisan, pro-LGBT legislation. This certainly is not the first pro-LGBT bill Christie vetoed. In early 2012, Christie vetoed a same-sex marriage bill. New Jersey same-sex couples had to wait more than a year and a half before being legally allowed to wed.

The New Jersey Gestational Carrier Agreement Act, the legislation Christie vetoed Monday, would have assigned parental rights at birth to couples who use a gestational surrogate to have a child.

“Gestational surrogacy is especially important to members of the LGBT community because it enables couples to establish parental rights and create a family while allowing such couples to have a genetic relation to their children. Gestational surrogacy is distinguished from traditional surrogacy, in which the carrier makes use of her own egg and therefore has a genetic relation to the child,” Garden State Equality explained in a statement today.

UPDATE: Now That Chris Christie Is Running For President Let’s Take A Look At His Anti-Gay Record

“This veto is a terrible outcome for families across New Jersey who need gestational surrogacy agreements to strengthen their families,” Andrea Bowen, Executive Director for Garden State Equality, said via a press release. “We deplore what Governor Christie has done.”

“Instead of modernizing New Jersey’s surrogacy laws by signing this important bipartisan legislation into law, Gov. Christie chose to stand in the way of progress,” added Marty Rouse, HRC National Field Director. “Garden State families deserve better than the outdated obstacles that will now remain in place because of Gov. Christie – outdated laws that restrict their ability to establish appropriate parental and family rights. What a backwards way to start a campaign for the highest office in the land.”

Fourteen other states currently have similar laws.

 

Image by New Jersey National Guard via Flickr and a CC license