S2083

TRENTON – Senator John H. Adler, D-Cherry Hill, made the following statement today following the final passage of bill S-2083, which would give domestic partners funeral and inheritence rights, and S-2167, which would permit public entities that do not participate in the State Health Benefits Plan to offer health benefits to the domestic partners of employees:

“New Jersey has been at the forefront when it comes to recognizing and protecting the rights of families. Today we continue that work by expanding the rights provided by domestic partnerships.

TRENTON – Domestic partners would have the same rights as married couples with respect to inheritances and funeral arrangements under a bill sponsored by Senators John H. Adler and Nia H. Gill that was approved by the Senate today.

“The citizens of the State of New Jersey realize that there are many ways to form a family,” said Senator Adler, D-Cherry Hill and the sponsor of the original bill to create domestic partnerships. “Currently, same-sex couples have no rights when it comes to administering the funeral of a passed partner. It makes little sense to grant this right only to married couples and deny it of domestic partnerships.”

TRENTON – Domestic partners would have the same rights as married couples with respect to inheritances and funeral arrangements under a bill sponsored by Senator John Adler and approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee today.

“When two people have joined together to form a family, whether through marriage or domestic partnership, they should have some basic rights on the passing of their partner,” said Senator Adler, D-Cherry Hill and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Currently, same-sex couples have no rights when it comes to administering the funeral of a passed partner. This can be a crucial part of a surviving partner’s grieving process and we need to extend this simple right to domestic partners.”