New Jersey
In October 2006, the NJ Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling recognizing the equal needs and common humanity of committed same-sex couples and their kids. The Court said these American families are entitled to equal rights and responsibilities under the law. The legislature was instructed to codify this decision. Unfortunately, New Jersey's legislature failed to provide equality when they quickly passed a civil unions bill which took effect in January 2007.
Along with passing the civil union bill, the legislature set up a Civil Union Review Commission to study the implementation of civil unions and whether or not they fulfill the court's ruling. The commission has found ample evidence that civil unions are separate and unequal to marriage, and indeed are failing New Jersey families. The New Jersey legislature failed to change the law in 2009, even after acknowledging that civil unions were not providing the protections required by the Supreme Court of their state. Lambda Legal and Garden State Equality are now going back to court to seek equality.
Status: Civil Union
Groups Actively Working on Marriage
Garden State Equality: the central statewide organization working for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex civil rights in New Jersey
Freedom to Marry: is the campaign to win marriage for same-sex couples nationwide.
Blog Posts Related to New Jersey
New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee advances marriage bill
On an 8 to 4 vote, New Jersey's Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance a bill to extend marriage to gay and lesbian couples
Committee vote on NJ’s marriage bill scheduled for next week
Next Tuesday (01/24), New Jersey's Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing and vote on S.1, the bill to extend marriage to gay and lesbian couples.
Legislative leaders announce introduction of a marriage bill in NJ
One day before the new legislature is sworn in, legislative leaders and marriage advocates in New Jersey announced that a marriage bill will be at the top of the legislative agenda in 2012.
Resources Related to New Jersey
Southern Poverty Law Center: 18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda
The Southern Poverty Law Center provides a detailed listing of anti-gay groups know for their dangerous propaganda aimed at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
New Jersey Census Snapshot
Demographic and economic information about same-sex couples and same-sex couples raising children in New Jersey.
First Interim Report of the New Jersey Civil Union Review Commission
The New Jersey Civil Union Review Commission published a report which determined New Jersey's civil union law "is not clear to the general public" and "creates a second-class status" for those who have filed for civil unions, among many other challenges that prove the law does not accomplish what it was intended to do--provide protections and benefits of marriage to same-sex couples and their families.