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Article: Lawmakers in New Jersey pass civil union bill
- Article from:
- Daily Breeze
- Article date:
- December 15, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2006 Daily Breeze. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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TRENTON, N.J. -- Ordered by New Jersey's highest court to offer
marriage or its equivalent to gay couples, the Legislature voted
Thursday to make New Jersey the third state to allow civil unions.
Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine said he would sign the measure, which
would extend to same-sex couples all the rights and privileges
available under state law to married people. The bill passed the
Assembly 56-19 and the Senate 23-12.
"Love counts," Democratic Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo, a chief
sponsor of the bill, said as the debate opened. "The gender of whom
one loves should not matter to the state."
But Republican Assemblyman Ronald S. Dancer said: "It's my
personal belief, faith and religious ...