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Same-sex marriage in New Jersey has been legally recognized since October 21, 2013, the effective date of a trial court ruling invalidating the state's restriction of
marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
to persons of different sexes. In September 2013, Mary C. Jacobson, Assignment Judge of the Mercer Vicinage of the
Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...
, ruled that as a result of the
U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
's June 2013 decision in ''
United States v. Windsor ''United States v. Windsor'', 570 U.S. 744 (2013), is a landmark United States Supreme Court civil rights case concerning same-sex marriage. The Court held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denied federal recognition ...
'', the
Constitution of New Jersey The Constitution of the State of New Jersey is the basic governing document of the State of New Jersey. In addition to three British Royal Charters issued for East Jersey, West Jersey and united New Jersey while they were still colonies, the sta ...
requires the state to recognize same-sex marriages. The ''Windsor'' decision held that the
federal government A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governing ...
was required to provide the same benefits to same-sex couples who were married under state law as to other married couples. Therefore, the state court reasoned in '' Garden State Equality v. Dow'' that, because same-sex couples in New Jersey were limited to
civil union A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage ...
s, which are not recognized as marriages under federal law, the state must permit civil marriage for same-sex couples. This ruling, in turn, relied on the 2006 decision of the
New Jersey Supreme Court The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases challenging th ...
in '' Lewis v. Harris'' that the state was constitutionally required to afford the rights and benefits of marriage to same-sex couples. The Supreme Court had ordered the
New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the S ...
to correct the constitutional violation, by permitting either same-sex marriage or civil unions with all the rights and benefits of marriage, within 180 days. In response, the Legislature passed a bill to legalize civil unions on December 21, 2006, which became effective on February 19, 2007. Following the trial court decision in ''Garden State Equality v. Dow'', the Christie administration asked the state Supreme Court to grant a
stay Stay may refer to: Places * Stay, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the US Law * Stay of execution, a ruling to temporarily suspend the enforcement of a court judgment * Stay of proceedings, a ruling halting further legal process in a tr ...
of the decision pending
appeal In law, an appeal is the process in which cases are reviewed by a higher authority, where parties request a formal change to an official decision. Appeals function both as a process for error correction as well as a process of clarifying and ...
. On October 18, 2013, the Supreme Court unanimously denied the request for a stay. Three days later, on the day the trial court ruling went into effect and local officials had begun issuing
marriage license A marriage license (or marriage licence in Commonwealth spelling) is a document issued, either by a religious organization or state authority, authorizing a couple to marry. The procedure for obtaining a license varies between jurisdictio ...
s to same-sex couples, and some wedding ceremonies had been performed, Governor Christie withdrew the state's appeal. This action removed the last potential impediment to same-sex marriages in the state.
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
was the fourteenth
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sov ...
to legalize same-sex marriage. In 2012, the New Jersey Legislature passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage, but it was vetoed by
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, Lobbying in the United States, lobbyist, and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New J ...
. In January 2022, Governor
Phil Murphy Philip Dunton Murphy (born August 16, 1957) is an American financier, diplomat, and politician serving as the 56th governor of New Jersey since January 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the United States ambassador to Germany ...
signed into law legislation to codify same-sex marriage in New Jersey
statute A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs the legal entities of a city, state, or country by way of consent. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. Statutes are rules made by l ...
s.


Domestic partnerships

In 2003, New Jersey implemented a
domestic partnership A domestic partnership is a legal relationship, usually between couples, who live together and share a common domestic life, but are not married (to each other or to anyone else). People in domestic partnerships receive benefits that guarantee ...
scheme. It was one of the first
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sov ...
s to do so, after California. In 2006, advocates of same-sex unions sued to transcend domestic partnership in the case '' Lewis v. Harris''. The judges struck down the domestic partnership arrangement and split 4–3 to allow the
New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the S ...
to pass
civil union A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage ...
s instead of allowing same-sex marriage. In December 2006, the New Jersey Legislature passed a bill providing for civil unions and recognizing other states' civil unions. The New Jersey Legislature enacted the ''Domestic Partnership Act'' on January 12, 2004, which came into effect on July 10, 2004. The law made domestic partnerships available to all same-sex couples, as well as to different-sex couples aged 62 and older. The domestic partnership statute provides "limited
health care Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profes ...
,
inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
,
property rights The right to property, or the right to own property (cf. ownership) is often classified as a human right for natural persons regarding their possessions. A general recognition of a right to private property is found more rarely and is typically h ...
and other rights and obligations" but "
oes Oes or owes were metallic "O" shaped rings or eyelets sewn on to clothes and furnishing textiles for decorative effect in England and at the Elizabethan and Jacobean court. They were smaller than modern sequins. Making and metals Robert Sharp obta ...
not approach the broad array of rights and obligations afforded to married couples." For example, as
Lambda Legal Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, better known as Lambda Legal, is an American civil rights organization that focuses on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities as well as people living with HIV/AIDS ( PWAs) through im ...
stated, the law "required health and pension benefits nlyfor state employees—it was voluntary for other employers—and did not require family leave to care for an ill partner." The domestic partnership statute remains in place even though New Jersey subsequently enacted a civil union statute. Couples in an existing domestic partnership are not required to enter a civil union. However, new domestic partnerships are available only to couples in which both partners are 62 and over, whether same-sex or different-sex.


Civil unions


''Lewis v. Harris''

On October 25, 2006, the
Supreme Court of New Jersey The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases ...
unanimously ruled in ''Lewis v. Harris'' that the "unequal dispensation of rights and benefits to committed same-sex partners can no longer be tolerated under our State Constitution." With the ''Harris'' decision, same-sex couples were granted the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as
heterosexual Heterosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behavior between people of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to ...
couples with respect to their relationships. While the decision was widely reported as a 4–3 split, the differences between the justices were on whether only the provision of civil marriage rights to same-sex couples would resolve the constitutional defect, or whether another change in statute would pass constitutional scrutiny. The court avoided the question of what to call the legal status, leaving that to, as the majority stated, the "crucible of the democratic process". The dissent, led by Chief Justice Deborah T. Poritz, chastised the junior members of the court who said that anything other than marriage would provide equal rights: "What we name things matters, language matters... Labels set people apart surely as physical separation on a bus or in school facilities... By excluding same-sex couples from civil marriage, the State declares that it is legitimate to differentiate between their commitments and the commitments of heterosexual couples. Ultimately the message is that what same-sex couples have is not as important or as significant as real marriage, that such lesser relationships cannot have the name of marriage." The court gave the New Jersey Legislature six months to enact legislation providing for civil unions.


Civil Union Act

On December 14, 2006, the New Jersey Legislature passed a bill providing for civil unions, which was signed into law by Governor
Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006 and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran fo ...
on December 21, 2006. The ''Civil Union Act'' came into effect on February 19, 2007. Same-sex couples who enter into a civil union are provided almost all of the rights granted to married couples under New Jersey state law. However, under the provisions of the federal ''
Defense of Marriage Act The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a United States federal law passed by the 104th United States Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage by limiting the definition of ma ...
'' (DOMA), same-sex couples in civil unions and domestic partnerships did not have any right or entitlement to the 1,138 rights that a married couple has under federal law. Section 3 of DOMA, which prohibited the federal recognition of same-sex marriages, was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013 in ''
United States v. Windsor ''United States v. Windsor'', 570 U.S. 744 (2013), is a landmark United States Supreme Court civil rights case concerning same-sex marriage. The Court held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denied federal recognition ...
''. According to the new civil union law, when a same-sex couple enters into a civil union, their domestic partnership is automatically terminated by the civil union. However, those couples who remain in domestic partnerships and elect to not enter into a civil union will be allowed to remain as domestic partners. New domestic partnerships can still be formed if both partners are 62 years of age or older. The law provided for the creation of a Civil Unions Review Commission that would evaluate the law's effectiveness and any problems resulting therefrom, and would report every six months for three years following enactment to assess the impact of the law. The first meeting of the Civil Unions Review Commission took place on June 18, 2007. The Commission elected a chair, Frank Vespa-Papaleo, the Director of the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights, and the Commission planned meeting monthly as well as conducting periodic public meetings.


Civil unions in practice

The New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) took a formal position against the adoption of the ''Civil Unions Act'', citing inherent and obvious problems and confusion the law would have for citizens and legal representation. In addition, the NJSBA formally endorsed the marriage bill proposed by openly gay Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, saying that only same-sex marriage would meet the standard mandated by the ''Lewis'' decision. A
United Parcel Service United Parcel Service (UPS, stylized as ups) is an American multinational shipping & receiving and supply chain management company founded in 1907. Originally known as the American Messenger Company specializing in telegraphs, UPS has grown t ...
(UPS) spokesman claimed that language in its collective bargaining agreement with the
Teamsters The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), also known as the Teamsters Union, is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of The Team Drivers International Union and The Teamsters National Union, the u ...
union prevented it from extending benefits to same-sex partners. On July 20, 2007, Governor Jon Corzine sent a letter to UPS officials on behalf of a UPS driver and her partner, asking the company to comply with New Jersey law and extend spousal benefits such as health insurance to civil union partners. On July 30, a UPS spokesman said: "We have received clear guidance that, at least in New Jersey, the state truly views civil union partners as married. We've heard that loud and clear from state officials and we're happy to make this change." The company also noted that it already offers equal benefits to married same-sex couples in
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
and would review its policies in Connecticut and
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the n ...
. Prior to the legalization of same-sex marriage in New Jersey, all same-sex relationships (including marriages) contracted out of state were recognized as having the same legal force as New Jersey civil unions, where they "provide substantially all the rights and benefits of marriage", or as equivalent and having the same legal force as New Jersey domestic partnerships, where they "provide some but not all of the rights and obligations of marriage".


Statistics

During the first 90 days after the law went into effect, 852 same-sex couples entered into civil unions, according to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. During the same period, the LGBT civil rights organization, Garden State Equality, reported that it has received complaints from 102 couples denied benefits by employers or insurers. On May 22, 2007, ''
The Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to ''The Jersey Journal'' of Jersey City, ''The Times'' of Trenton and the ''Staten Island Advance'', all of wh ...
'' reported that the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights had received at least 270 inquiries from couples in civil unions denied benefits by employers or insurers. As of June 18, 2007, only two complaints had been filed with the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights, it was reported at the first meeting of the Civil Unions Review Commission. According to Garden State Equality, by the end of July 2007, 211 of the 1,358 couples who had entered New Jersey civil unions since February 19 had "reported to Garden State Equality that their employers refused to recognize their civil unions." Among the companies flouting state law were shipping companies UPS,
FedEx FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. The name "Fe ...
, and
DHL DHL is an American founded, German logistics company providing courier, package delivery and express mail service, which is a division of the German logistics firm Deutsche Post. The company group delivers over 1.8 billion parcels per year. DHL ...
, as well as a number of
Fortune 500 The ''Fortune'' 500 is an annual list compiled and published by '' Fortune'' magazine that ranks 500 of the largest United States corporations by total revenue for their respective fiscal years. The list includes publicly held companies, along ...
companies. By February 2008, 2,329 couples had entered into civil unions in the state.


Same-sex marriage


Background

Beginning on March 5, 2004, D. Kiki Tomek, the Deputy City Clerk of
Asbury Park Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 15,188
, processed
marriage license A marriage license (or marriage licence in Commonwealth spelling) is a document issued, either by a religious organization or state authority, authorizing a couple to marry. The procedure for obtaining a license varies between jurisdictio ...
s for same-sex couples for several days. Deputy Mayor James Bruno married one couple on March 8, but then heeded a warning from the
New Jersey Attorney General The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confirmed by the New Jersey Senate, and term limited. ...
, Peter C. Harvey to stop issuing such licenses. A legislative commission was formed to review whether civil unions brought equality to same-sex couples. It determined that civil unions failed to provide equal treatment. On December 10, 2008, the Commission released its unanimous finding that marriage laws should be made
gender-neutral Gender neutrality (adjective form: gender-neutral), also known as gender-neutralism or the gender neutrality movement, is the idea that policies, language, and other social institutions (social structures or gender roles) should avoid distinguish ...
to ensure equal treatment of same-sex couples. Governor Corzine had indicated that he would sign a bill to allow same-sex marriage.Panel says New Jersey should allow gay marriage
''Reuters'', 12/10/08
In late 2009, lame duck Governor Corzine stated that he would sign a bill legalizing same-sex marriage if it came to his desk before he left office, while his newly elected Republican successor
Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, Lobbying in the United States, lobbyist, and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New J ...
said that he would promote a
constitutional amendment A constitutional amendment is a modification of the constitution of a polity, organization or other type of entity. Amendments are often interwoven into the relevant sections of an existing constitution, directly altering the text. Conversely, t ...
to ban same-sex marriage. However, the political situation at the time made such an amendment unlikely, and Governor Christie later supported a public vote on same-sex marriage; while he was personally opposed to it, he promised not to revisit the same-sex marriage issue if it was legalized by popular vote. On July 26, 2010, the New Jersey Supreme Court declined a request on the part of the plaintiffs in ''Lewis v. Harris'' that it review whether the Legislature had complied with the court's order in that case. It said it wanted the challenge to begin in a lower court where a trial record could be developed.


Legislation

On December 7, 2009, the New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee approved a same-sex marriage bill by a vote of 7 to 6, after seven hours of testimony and debate. It was amended in committee to clarify that clergy would not be required to perform weddings for same-sex couples. On January 7, 2010, the
New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the New Jersey Legislative Council, Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts wit ...
defeated the measure in a 20–14 vote. On February 13, 2012, the Senate passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage by a vote of 24 to 16, and on February 16, the
Assembly Assembly may refer to: Organisations and meetings * Deliberative assembly, a gathering of members who use parliamentary procedure for making decisions * General assembly, an official meeting of the members of an organization or of their representa ...
passed it by a vote of 42 to 33, with three Republicans and one Democrat not voting, and one Democratic seat temporarily vacant. In neither house was the bill passed by a veto-proof majority. Governor Christie vetoed the bill the next day and called for a constitutional amendment for same-sex marriage to be presented to the voters as a ballot referendum. On February 21, 2013, Democratic leaders announced plans to hold a vote to override Christie's veto. The legislation needed three additional votes in the Senate and 12 in the House. The Legislature had until January 2014 to override the veto. Democratic legislative leaders exchanged charges with Christie in July. Senate President
Stephen Sweeney Stephen M. Sweeney (born June 11, 1959) is an American politician and labor leader who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2022, representing the 3rd legislative district. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 114th President ...
said Christie was intimidating some Republicans who supported same-sex marriage, and State Senator Barbara Buono, the Democratic candidate for governor, called Christie the "one man in New Jersey ... that stands in the way of marriage equality". Christie said in response: "If you want to change the core of a 2,000-year-old institution, the way to do that is to put it in front of the voters in the state of New Jersey and let them vote". In September 2013, legislators in favor of the bill were organizing an attempt at the veto override, and several legislators who did not vote on the bill or voted against committed to supporting it. However, the veto was not overriden by the January 2014 deadline.


''Garden State Equality v. Dow''

On June 29, 2011,
Lambda Legal Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, better known as Lambda Legal, is an American civil rights organization that focuses on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities as well as people living with HIV/AIDS ( PWAs) through im ...
filed suit in the Law Division of Superior Court in Mercer County on behalf of Garden State Equality, seven same-sex couples, and several of their children, arguing that New Jersey's civil unions did not provide the same rights as
marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
as required by the court's decision in ''Lewis''. On September 27, 2013, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson ruled that the state must allow same-sex couples to marry in accordance with the
U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
's decision in ''
United States v. Windsor ''United States v. Windsor'', 570 U.S. 744 (2013), is a landmark United States Supreme Court civil rights case concerning same-sex marriage. The Court held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denied federal recognition ...
''. Jacobson ruled that as of October 21, 2013, the state "shall permit" same-sex couples to marry. The Christie administration
appeal In law, an appeal is the process in which cases are reviewed by a higher authority, where parties request a formal change to an official decision. Appeals function both as a process for error correction as well as a process of clarifying and ...
ed Jacobson's ruling and also requested a
stay Stay may refer to: Places * Stay, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the US Law * Stay of execution, a ruling to temporarily suspend the enforcement of a court judgment * Stay of proceedings, a ruling halting further legal process in a tr ...
of its execution. The
Supreme Court of New Jersey The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases ...
accepted the appeal on October 11 and scheduled
oral argument Oral arguments are spoken presentations to a judge or appellate court by a lawyer (or parties when representing themselves) of the legal reasons why they should prevail. Oral argument at the appellate level accompanies written briefs, which also a ...
s for January 6–7, 2014. On October 18, 2013, the Supreme Court rendered a provisional, unanimous (7–0 vote) order denying the stay, thereby provisionally authorizing same-sex marriage in the state pending its decision on the state's appeal of Judge Jacobson's ruling. In the Supreme Court's decision, Chief Justice
Stuart Rabner Stuart Jeff Rabner (born June 30, 1960) is the chief justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. He served as New Jersey Attorney General, Chief Counsel to Governor Jon Corzine, and as a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Dist ...
wrote that "the state has advanced a number of arguments, but none of them overcome this reality: Same-sex couples who cannot marry are not treated equally under the law today". The court held that it could "find no public interest in depriving a group of New Jersey residents of their constitutional right to equal protection while the appeals process unfolds." Weddings were performed just after midnight on October 21, 2013, and Governor Christie dropped his administration's appeal of the lower court ruling that morning. Among the first couples to marry were Joseph Panessidi and Orville Bell in Newark shortly after midnight on October 21. Their marriage was officiated by
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...
Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is an American politician and attorney who has served as the junior United States senator from New Jersey since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Booker is the first African-American U.S. s ...
, who also officiated at six other same-sex marriages that day.


Developments after legalization

In December 2021, the New Jersey Legislature passed legislation to codify same-sex marriage in state statues. The bill was passed 35–4 in the Senate, and 53–10 in the Assembly. It was signed into law by Governor
Phil Murphy Philip Dunton Murphy (born August 16, 1957) is an American financier, diplomat, and politician serving as the 56th governor of New Jersey since January 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the United States ambassador to Germany ...
on January 10, 2022. New Jersey statutes were amended to read: In July 2022, Garden State Equality, the Hudson Pride Connections Center and Latino Action Network reported that the municipal websites of Estell Manor, Fairview, Hanover Township, Linden, New Hanover Township, and South Toms River contained language stating that only opposite-sex couples may apply for marriage licenses. Attorney General Matt Platkin announced in October 2022 that the Division on Civil Rights had launched an enforcement initiative to ensure that municipal governments not discriminate against same-sex couples in their webpages on vital records and marriage application instructions. Platkin said, "Marriage equality is the law here in New Jersey. But when municipalities use language indicating that individuals cannot obtain a marriage license based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, they violate that basic promise." Most of these municipalities modified their webpages following the publication of the report.


Demographics and marriage statistics

Data from the 2000 U.S. census showed that 16,604 same-sex couples were living in New Jersey. By 2005, this had increased to 20,677 couples, likely attributed to same-sex couples' growing willingness to disclose their partnerships on government surveys. Same-sex couples lived in all counties of the state and constituted 0.9% of coupled households and 0.5% of all households in the state. Most couples lived in
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Gr ...
, Hudson,
Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula ...
and
Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbouri ...
counties. Same-sex partners in New Jersey were on average younger than opposite-sex partners, and more likely to be employed. However, the average and median household incomes of same-sex couples were lower than different-sex couples, and same-sex couples were also far less likely to own a home than opposite-sex partners. 21% of same-sex couples in New Jersey were raising children under the age of 18, with an estimated 8,337 children living in households headed by same-sex couples in 2005.


Economic impact

A 2006 study from the
University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
estimated the potential economic impact of same-sex marriage on the New Jersey economy and concluded that the gain would be substantial. If New Jersey were to give same-sex couples the right to marry, that is marriage itself and not civil unions, the state would experience a surge in spending on weddings by same-sex couples who currently live in New Jersey, as well as an increase in wedding and tourist spending by same-sex couples from other states. The analysis outlined in detail in the report predicted that sales by New Jersey's wedding and tourism-related businesses would rise by $102.5 million in each of the first three years when marriage for same-sex couples is legal. As a result, the state's gross receipt tax revenues would rise by $7.2 million per year, and 1,400 new jobs would be created in relevant industries.


Public opinion

The questions asked in each
opinion poll An opinion poll, often simply referred to as a survey or a poll (although strictly a poll is an actual election) is a human research survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinio ...
varied. For example, the November 2009
Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...
/
Eagleton Institute of Politics The Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University was established in 1956 with an endowment from Florence Peshine Eagleton (1870–1953), and it focuses on state and national politics through education and public service. Ruth Mandel serve ...
poll asked voters if they would accept a decision by the New Jersey Legislature to legalize same-sex marriage, while the 2006
Rasmussen Reports Rasmussen Reports is an American polling company founded in 2003. The company engages in political commentary and the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information. Rasmussen Reports conducts nightly tracking, ...
survey asked voters whether they personally ''define'' marriage as a union of a man and a woman or between a union of two people. A
Zogby International John J. Zogby (born September 3, 1948) is an American public opinion pollster, author, and public speaker. He is founder of the Zogby International poll, and he serves as a senior partner at John Zogby Strategies, a full-service marketing and ...
poll conducted in April 2005 asked about same-sex couples married outside of the state: 57.5% felt the marriages should be recognized, while 37.2% thought the state should not recognize them, and 5.3% were not sure. A 2006 Rutgers University/Eagleton Institute of Politics survey showed that New Jersey voters supported civil unions, with 66% in favor and 29% opposed. A July 2011 Public Policy Polling survey found that 81% of New Jersey voters supported the legal recognition of same-sex couples, with 41% supporting same-sex marriage and 40% supporting civil unions, while only 17% opposed all legal recognition and 2% were not sure. New Jersey trends mirrored national trends, in that women, young people,
Latinos Hispanic and Latino Americans ( es, Estadounidenses hispanos y latinos; pt, Estadunidenses hispânicos e latinos) are Americans of Spanish and/or Latin American ancestry. More broadly, these demographics include all Americans who identify ...
, people with a college education, and people who know gay men and lesbians were more supportive of same-sex marriage than men, while the elderly,
African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslav ...
,
Asian Americans Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous peopl ...
, people without a college education, and those who do not know any gay men or lesbians were most opposed. However, same-sex marriage was not seen as an "important issue" by the latter groups, and the Eagleton Institute of Politics found that they were not likely to be source of opposition to a same-sex marriage bill if it passed. A 2012
Quinnipiac University Quinnipiac University () is a private university in Hamden, Connecticut. The university grants undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees through its College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Engineering, School of C ...
poll found that a majority of Democrats and Independents supported same-sex marriage, while a majority of Republicans were opposed.


See also

* LGBT rights in New Jersey *
Same-sex marriage in the United States The availability of legally recognized same-sex marriage in the United States expanded from one state (Massachusetts) in 2004 to all fifty states in 2015 through various court rulings, state legislation, and direct popular votes. States each ...


References


External links


Garden State Equality's "Practical Guide to Civil Unions"

Text of the Civil Unions Act''Frequently Asked Questions''
links to pages on requirements for domestic partnerships, civil unions, and marriages, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, March 20, 2007
Website of Garden State Equality
{{LGBT culture in New Jersey 2013 in LGBT history 2013 in New Jersey LGBT in New Jersey New Jersey law
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...