newjerseynewsroom.com

650 supporters leave Statehouse optimistic the bill will win approval next week

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The state Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday will vote on legislation to legalize same-sex marriage. If the proposal is approved by the panel, Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) said the measure will be consider by the full upper house on Thursday, Dec. 10.

The announcement by Senate Democratic leaders sent more than 650 gay marriage supporters who demonstrated at the Statehouse on Thursday home in an upbeat mood with the announcement but they are not assured the bill will be approved.

Sen. Paul A. Sarlo (D-Bergen), the Judiciary Committee chairman, said he will hold a hearing and vote on the bill, S-1967 "The Freedom of Religion and equality in Civil Marriage Act,'' but stressed that he would vote against it. He also said it expects the measure to narrowly pass with the support of both Democrats and Republicans on the committee.

If Baroni joins the six other Democrats on the committee, and the four remaining Republicans support Gov.-elect Chris Christie's opposition to the bill, the measure would pass 7-6.

"Should the Senate Judiciary Committee approve the bill on Monday, the full Senate will be the first house to consider the bill during a floor vote on Thursday, ‘' Codey said.

Supporters hope to see the measure win approval in both houses and approved by Gov. Jon Corzine before he leaves office on Jan. 19.

Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), a co-sponsor of the measure and a committee member is confident he can muster the 21 votes needed for passage in the Senate despite the opposition of Sarlo, Girgenti and Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex).

"On Thursday (Dec. 10) the full Senate is going to vote on marriage equality,'' Lesniak told the bill's supporters on the Statehouse steps. "And God willing, we'll have 21 votes.''

Codey has said he would not bring the bill up for floor action unless he was assured there were 21 votes for passage.

Sarlo said his strong belief is that same sex-couples deserve legal protections and that he supported legislation that allowed same sex couples to enter into civil unions and domestic partnerships.

"I don't support this legislation," Sarlo said. "However, in a democracy, I do not believe that one person should prevent any piece of legislation from having a fair hearing and an open vote in public. By posting the bill, I am keeping the pledge that I made to the bill's sponsors, Senator Loretta Weinberg and Senator Ray Lesniak. I am also keeping my word to Senator Bill Baroni and Garden State Equality President Steve Goldstein who came to my Senate office to personally lobby me to post the bill."

A Quinnipiac University poll made public Nov. 25, found that over a three-month period, a slim majority of New Jerseyans have gone from supporting same-sex marriage to opposing it.

Gay marriage opponents in Illinois are seeking a referendum banning same-sex marriage next year. Last year, voters in California, Arkansas and Florida voted against same-sex marriage, bringing to 30 the number of states that officially oppose it.