New Jersey Civil Union Bill Passes Through Legislative Committee: Lambda Legal Calls Civil Unions Discriminatory

(Trenton, New Jersey, December 7, 2006) — At the conclusion of the New Jersey Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing today on Assembly Bill A3787, a civil union bill, the members voted to send the measure to the full Assembly for a floor vote.

Lambda Legal, the organization representing plaintiffs in a lawsuit which resulted in the New Jersey Supreme Court decision in October, called the measure discriminatory.

“If passed, this huge civil union bill will become one of the largest forms of statutory discrimination ever created by the New Jersey Legislature,” said David Buckel, Marriage Project Director at Lambda Legal and lead attorney on the New Jersey marriage lawsuit. “The discriminatory bill is 63 pages all to avoid the one word that does the job—marriage.”

“There can only be one reason for this bill, and that is to say that same-sex couples’ relationships are unworthy of marriage. The Court gave the legislature 180 days to do it right—let’s not rush and do it wrong,” added Buckel.

In its October decision the New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously found that same-sex couples in New Jersey must have equal protection under the law and be granted the rights and responsibilities of marriage, but gave the legislature the opportunity to correct the violation. If the legislature chose civil unions over marriage, the Court left open the question of whether or not that choice would be constitutional, reasoning that the legislature should have the chance to explain its decision. The Court’s deadline expires on April 23, 2007. Garden State Equality organized an array of constituents to provide testimony at today’s hearing.

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Lisa Hardaway 212-809-8585 ext.266

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.