4233
(0 votes, average 0 out of 5)
Written by WiG
Jan 18, 2012
The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing at 11 a.m. (EST) on Jan. 24 on the newly introduced marriage equality bill.
The hearing will take place at the State House in Trenton.
Civil rights advocates with Garden State Equality are encouraging people to turn out in “EQUALITY The American Dream” T-shirts.
GSE also is seeking people to testify on behalf of the bill.
A call for witnesses went out late Jan. 17, stating, “We are compiling witnesses to testify for marriage equality. We are specifically seeking: Civil union couples who have faced difficulties with the civil union law.
Civil union couples who want to talk about what the deprivation of marriage equality means to them.
Clergy.
LGBT Youth.
Parents or other loved ones of LGBT youth.
Supporters of marriage equality, straight or LGBT.”
The call for participation ends, “The world's greatest members, for never giving up. GAME ON AGAIN!”
That’s a reference to the failed campaign to enact a marriage equality bill in 2008-09. Civil rights advocates were pushing to pass the bill before Jan. 19, 2009, when Republican Gov. Chris Christie, an opponent of equality was set to take office.
Christie still opposes the legislation, but has not indicated whether he will encourage Republican lawmakers to vote as they want or as the party leader wants.
The National Organization for Marriage has pledged at least $500,000 to a campaign to block the marriage equality push in the state.
