Politics & Government

NJ Gay-Rights Leader Upbeat But Marriage Bill Faces Uphill Fight

Not enough votes yet in state Senate and state Assembly to override governor's veto.

The leader of New Jersey’s most prominent gay-rights group declared yesterday that gays will get the right to marry in the state this year, but Democratic senators do not yet have the votes to override Gov. Christie’s veto of a bill enacting marriage equality.

In light of last week’s landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriages, five state senators, including Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Sen. Barbara Buono, (D-Middlesex) and the party’s gubernatorial nominee, called on Christie and Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, R-Union, to allow Republicans to vote their conscience when the override comes up for a vote.

Based on the February 2012 roll call vote on S1, which would permit same-sex marriage, they need only three additional votes in the Senate, but would have to find a dozen more votes to pass the Assembly version of the bill.

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Sweeney said yesterday’s press conference, held at the Westfield home of a lesbian couple who live in Kean’s district, was meant “to start the process for an override,” but he gave no time frame for calling for that vote. Sweeney said he would leave that up to marriage-equality advocates.

“We would prefer to have the vote happen when we have the votes,” said Troy Stevenson, executive director of Garden State Equality. “We are working toward that and we are getting closer every day.”

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Read more at NJSpotlight.com

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