New Jersey has taken steps to protect marriage equality due to the US Supreme Court’s conservative majority.
According to a report from Gay City News (GCN), New Jersey’s Assembly Judiciary Committee passed their own marriage equality bill.
The decision was unanimous with a 4-0 vote and was created to codify the legislation into state law.
The NJ A5367 (20R) is now headed to the state legislature, which is expected to pass the inclusive law before the year’s end.
Since 2013, marriage equality has been legal within the Garden State through the result of a Superior Court ruling.
However, this new bill is the second attempt to codify same-sex marriage after the first was thrown out over the inclusion of religious exemptions.
Lauren Albrecht, who is the policy consultant for Garden State Equality, gave insight into why second bill was created.
“We have talked about this a few times in the past with our legislative allies,” she told GCN. “We can never be sure about anything. When it comes to equal rights for our community, we can’t leave it up for chance.”
New Jersey State Senate President Steve Sweeney echoed a similar sentiment in a statement to Politico and cited the current Roe v Wade controversy.
“If they can [potentially overturn Roe v Wade], same-sex marriage can be the next thing,” he said.
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