S1

Senator Raymond J. Lesniak speaks at a news conference at the Statehouse regarding the passage of S-1, legislation that would establish marriage equality in New Jersey. The bill is sponsored by Senator Lesniak along with Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen and Senate President Stephen P. Sweeney, D-Salem, Cumberland, Gloucester. The bill passed the full Senate of 24-16. It now heads to the Assembly for further consideration. Also pictured are the Senate President, the Senate Majority Leader and Senator Bob Gordon, D-Bergen, Passaic.

17 Feb: Lesniak Statement On Marriage Equality Conditional Veto

TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, one of the prime sponsors of legislation to ensure equal rights for same-sex couples in New Jersey, issued the following statement today blasting Governor Christie’s conditional veto of the legislation:

“The Governor’s failed attempt to rewrite his record on basic equal rights for same-sex couples is a smokescreen. As our Senate President has articulated, time and time again, the rights of same-sex couples do not belong on a ballot question. The only way to ensure equal rights for same-sex couples is to show leadership and pass the bill as is.

13 Feb: Sweeney Calls On Legislature To Do What Is Right: Pass Marriage Equality

TRENTON – In remarks delivered before the full Senate, Senate President Steve Sweeney today called on his colleagues to pass S1, which would establish marriage equality in New Jersey. Senate President Sweeney asked that those who support marriage equality not cave to political pressure, but do the right thing. “Our votes today may be cast as ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ but in history they will be forever recorded as ‘right’ and ‘wrong’,” said Sweeney. “There is no third option.”

A copy of the Senate President’s full remarks are below.

13 Feb: Codey Issues Statement On Senate Passage Of S-1

TRENTON – Senator Richard J. Codey (D – Essex, Morris) issued the following statement today regarding Senate passage of S1, which would establish marriage equality in New Jersey:

“The world isn’t going to end because of this vote. All that will happen is that more people will be able to marry those they love. That’s it. Your street, your neighborhood, your place of worship, your schools, your town…nothing will be different come tomorrow.

Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, speaking at the marriage equality news conference.

13 Feb: Weinberg Remarks On Marriage Equality Vote

TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, issued the following remarks today in support of S-1, her bill to allow same-sex couples in New Jersey to be married under the same protections and classification offered to opposite-sex couples:

“Thank you, Mr. President, for posting this bill, and for having the courage to stand up for the rights of same-sex couples in New Jersey.

13 Feb: Lesniak Remarks On Marriage Equality Bill

TRENTON – State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, one of the prime sponsors of S-1, legislation which would allow same-sex couples to be married in the Garden State, issued the following floor remarks today in support of the bill:

“Throughout history New Jersey has sometimes been a leader in the evolution of civil rights in the United States of America and sometimes we’ve been a follower.

26 Jan: Christie Makes It Clear: Marriage Equality Now A Vote Of Party Purity, Not Conscience

TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg today said the more the governor talks about providing lawmakers a choice in how to let marriage equality move forward, it becomes more and more clear that he is not allowing Republican members of the Legislature who support marriage equality to have any choice in the matter.

Weinberg singled out the governor’s now twice-repeated line that, “I will veto it, and I will work hard to make sure my veto is sustained in the Legislature,” as a signal that he will quash any attempt by individual Republican legislators to vote by the dictates of their own conscience. The governor made the comment at Tuesday’s Bridgewater “town hall,” and again yesterday at a State House press conference.

24 Jan: Lesniak To Christie: Marriage Equality Is Our Responsibility

TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, one of the prime sponsors of S-1, which would same-sex couples in New Jersey the equal right to marry that heterosexual couples enjoy, issued the following statement today regarding Governor Christie’s suggestion that marriage equality should be decided on the ballot, rather than in the Legislature:

“Marriage equality isn’t like sports betting. It’s a civil right which is already guaranteed in our Constitution. It’s up to the Legislature to guarantee these rights and support marriage equality for same sex couples.”

22 Jan: Weinberg Statement On Mayors’ Support For Marriage Equality

TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, the sponsor – along with Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem, and Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union – of S-1, which would allow same-sex couples to enjoy the same rights to get married that heterosexual couples already enjoy in New Jersey, issued the following statement after a bipartisan coalition of the nation’s mayors announced their support for marriage equality at a news conference in Washington, DC on Friday:

“Clearly, marriage equality is an issue whose time has come. In New Jersey and around the county, we’re seeing policymakers of every political background and every walk of life acknowledge that allowing same-sex couples to get married is simply the right thing to do.

09 Jan: Sweeney To Make Marriage Equality First Order Of Business For New Senate Session

TRENTON – Senate President Steve Sweeney, Majority Leader-Elect Loretta Weinberg and Sen. Raymond Lesniak today joined with marriage equality advocates in announcing legislation to fully recognize same-sex unions as “marriage” under state law will be introduced in the new session as S-1, making it the Senate’s first order of business.

“This is about doing what’s right and ensuring full equal and civil rights for all New Jerseyans,” said Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem). “Two years ago, I made a mistake in abstaining on marriage equality – a mistake that means same-sex couples continue to be denied the very basic civil right to live their lives as they wish. But today isn’t about me correcting my mistake, it’s about correcting a mistake for thousands of loving couples across the state who want nothing more than to be treated equally as their neighbors.”

07 Feb: Lesniak Withdraws S-1, Will Introduce New Measure To Abolish COAH

TRENTON – Saying he will “take the best” of the Senate’s, the Assembly’s and the Governor’s ideas, Senator Raymond Lesniak announced today he has withdrawn the legislation he sponsored to abolish COAH which Governor Christie conditionally vetoed, S-1, and will introduce a new bill that will inject rationality into New Jersey’s affordable housing laws.

“It’s not just about compromise for the sake of compromise,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “It’s about forging a compromise that creates good public policy. That’s what the people of the State of New Jersey want us to do, so we should just do it.”