Legislation Signed by Gov. Murphy Enshrines Marriage Equality into State Law - TAPinto.net
TRENTON – Governor Murphy on Monday, Jan 10, signed into law S3416, which codifies marriage equality in New Jersey law by providing that all laws concerning marriage and civil union are to be read with gender neutral intent. Marriage equality currently exists in New Jersey based on state and federal Court decisions.
“Despite the progress we have made as a country, there is still much work to be done to protect the LGBTQ+ community from intolerance and injustice. New Jersey is stronger and fairer when every member of our LGBTQ+ family is valued and given equal protection under the law,” said Governor Murphy. “I am honored to sign legislation that represents our New Jersey values and codifies marriage equality into state law.”
This legislation brings New Jersey statutory law into conformance with the 2013 decision in Garden State Equality v. Dow as well as the 2015 United Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which held that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right and that all states are required to allow same-sex couples to marry. Enacting S3416 into law ensures that the right to same-sex marriage will continue to exist in New Jersey even if these state and federal court precedents were to be overturned.
“Securing marriage equality in New Jersey for committed same-sex couples and their families has literally been a labor of love at Garden State Equality for nearly two decades,” said Thomas Prol, a founding and current Garden State Equality executive committee member and co-author of the legislation. “We are grateful to the Governor and the legislative leadership for helping us protect these vital rights from the national onslaught being leveled against the LGBTQ community every day. Our community can now sleep tight knowing that their relationships are cemented in New Jersey’s statutory law books.”
Primary sponsors of the bill include Senators Steve Sweeney, Loretta Weinberg, and Vin Gopal, and Assemblymembers Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Mila M. Jasey, Annette Quijano, Andrew Zwicker, and Joann Downey.
“This is about acting to ensure equal treatment and civil rights for all New Jerseyans, including same-sex couples,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney. “Marriage equality respects the rights of loving couples who deserve to be treated equally. The courts have ruled that same-sex marriages are a fundamental right, but we want to put it into statute to protect against any backtracking by the U. S. Supreme Court. It is the right thing to do."
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source: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/morristown/sections/government/articles/legislation-signed-by-gov-murphy-enshrines-marriage-equality-into-state-law
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