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The Star-Ledger
N.J. Senate to delay
vote on gay marriage bill
By Mary Fuchs and
Claire Heininger/Statehouse Bureau, December 09, 2009
TRENTON -- A state Senate vote
on legalizing same-sex marriage in New Jersey is expected to be delayed, its two
prime sponsors said today.
Sens. Ray Lesniak (D-Union) and Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) said the bill --
which was up for passage on Thursday -- instead will likely be introduced in the
Assembly Judiciary Committee in preparation for a vote by the lower house.
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Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger
Wendy
Kennedy and her partner Deb Spell of Ridgewood lean on each other as
they wait in an overflow room to listen to the Senate Judiciary
Committee hearing on bill S1967/A2978 at the Statehouse Monday
afternoon. |
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The lawmakers said they expect Senate
President Richard Codey (D-Essex) to agree to the delay. Codey, who had
posted the bill on Thursday's agenda, could not immediately be reached for
comment this afternoon.
Lesniak said he still expects a vote on same-sex marriage in both houses before
the end of the lame-duck legislative session in January. Advocates are
pushing for passage of the bill before Gov. Jon Corzine leaves office Jan. 19.
Corzine supports the measure, while incoming Gov. Chris Christie says he will
veto it.
While even proponents conceded this week that passage was in doubt, Lesniak and
Weinberg said they were not postponing the debate because they lacked the 21
votes to succeed in the Senate. They said they want Assembly members to
engage in the public dialogue and hear the testimony from both sides that
senators already have been exposed to.
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Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger
Sen. Paul
Sarlo (D-Bergen), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee,
listens to testimony during a hearing on bill S1967/A2978 at the
Statehouse Monday evening. |
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"We think this is the fairest way to
proceed, and anybody on the other side can say whatever they want to say,"
Weinberg said.
Lawmakers said phones in their district offices continued to ring off the hook
this week, with in-state and out-of-state opponents and advocates burning up the
lines of Democratics senators committed to opposing gay marriage.
"Most of us have spent the last week, even just alone in our district offices
fielding questions and speaking to folks, advocates and detractors of the gay
marriage bill about this issue," said Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May), who said
he will vote against the bill.
"But 99 percent of our attention should be turned towards creating a state
government that works, figuring how in God's name we're going be able to balance
the budget next year."
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