New Jersey Senate committee approves bill to allow gays and lesbians to marry

The New Jersey state Senate's Judiciary Committee voted 7-6 last night to approve a bill that would allow gays and lesbians to marry.

The measure will go before the full Senate on Thursday. And Steven Goldstein, executive director of Garden State Equality, remained optimistic about the chances lawmakers would approve the bill.

"The marriage equality movement in America starts again right here," he told supporters in Trenton.

The committee's vote came less than a week after the New York State Senate defeated a bill that would have allowed gays and lesbians to marry in the Empire State. And it also comes a little more than a month after Maine voters approved a referendum that overturned their state's law that had allowed nuptials for same-sex couples.



It remains unclear as to whether the bill has enough support in the New Jersey state Senate to pass. It remains obvious, however, the Garden State could provide the movement for marriage for gays and lesbians a desperately needed shot in the arm after what has been a disastrous few weeks. Stay tuned...