Marriage equality is getting closer

It is official: Marriage equality is on the state Senate’s agenda — and if it can get through the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, we could be looking at a full Senate vote by Thursday.

Here is the text of the release from Senate President Richard Codey’s office:

TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today confirmed that the full Senate will consider bill S1967 – the “Freedom of Religion and Equality in Civil Marriage Act”– next week.

“Should the Senate Judiciary Committee approve the bill on Monday, the full Senate will be the first house to consider the bill during a floor vote on Thursday.”

The Senate voting session is scheduled for 2 pm on Thursday, December 10.

The Senate has been the wild card in this, with the Democrats holding just a two-vote cushion (there are 23 Democrats in the 40-member body) and at least four Democrats on the fence. If four Democrats vote against it, that would mean at least two Republican votes would be needed — which appears likely. The Assembly, with 47 votes seems in better shape on this, but it is difficult to know for sure.

So, the advice here is to keep the pressure on. The hearing and potential vote next week are happening because LGBT community and its supporters have worked dilligently to convince legislators to do the right thing. Now is not the time to sit back and count votes.

Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie. View all posts by hankkalet