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GayPASG Note: The Governor
will sign the Civil Union Bill Thursday the 21st at 11:00 AM in the George
Washington Ballroom of the War Memorial Building, Trenton, NJ. Call 609
777-2522 for Information.
NJ Civil Unions May
Become Law Late This Week
365 Gay.com Posted
December 18, 2006, From the Web December 19, 2006
Trenton, New Jersey -- New
Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine said Monday that his legal team is reviewing the civil
unions bill passed last week by the legislature and hopes to sign it late this
week, possibly on Thursday.
But Corzine said he already has some concerns about the legislation. Like
laws involving marriage mayors are not obligated to conduct civil union
ceremonies. Corzine said he is concerned some mayors will use the
provision to refuse to unite gay couples.
Already a number of mayors have warned they won't take part in civil unions.
Legal experts have told the governor that although mayors can refuse to perform
ceremonies if they conduct marriages but refuse civil unions they could be
prosecuted under the state's human rights law. Corzine Monday said he
still has concerns.
Once Corzine signs the bill it will go into effect 60 days later.
Corzine had originally been expected to sign the bill last week which would have
meant same-sex couples could exchange vows on Valentine's Day. But the
governor in a surprise announcement said he wanted the bill examined by his
legal advisors "to make sure that what we think we’re getting is what we’re
getting.”
Corzine said Monday he expected that review to be completed by Thursday.
The bill passed the New Jersey Legislature last Thursday afternoon.
It offers couples who register most state benefits and protections currently
available to opposite-sex couples, including the right to health insurance
through a partner’s employer.
But it does not provide any of the benefits of marriage under federal law, and
it still could cost same-sex couples more than marriage couples for health
insurance.
The bill also contains a provision establishing a commission that will
investigate how civil unions fall short of marriage and report back to the
legislature in six months.
LGBT rights groups in the state believe the legislation is a stepping stone to
full marriage. Garden State Equality said it is confident same-sex couples
will be able to marry in the state within two years.
The legislation came about as a result of an October ruling by the New Jersey
Supreme Court that same-sex couples should have access to the same rights and
benefits as married couples. Whether to call those rights marriages, civil
unions or something else was left up to lawmakers.
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