Jan 16, 2004  |  By: CYD ZEIGLER JR.  | COMMENTS     

are on New York’s borders and the state legislature of another, Connecticut, has been seriously considering a similar measure.

“New York is once again falling behind other states in the rights it provides its citizens and its families,” said Alan Van Capelle, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, in a statement following the vote in the New Jersey Senate. “ I urge legislators in Albany to be leaders not laggards in making sure that all New Yorkers, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender New Yorkers and their families, are made equal under the law.”

Several observers have speculated that New Jersey may begin attracting gay couples from neighboring New York City and Philadelphia. Steve Goldstein, a resident of Brooklyn who helped lead Lambda Legal’s efforts in the fight, hinted that he has already begun the process of moving to the Garden State.

“One key difference between New York and New Jersey is that we have a Republican governor and a Republican state Senate,” noted Gottfried, the New York Assembly member. “If we had both houses in the legislature Democratic and a Democratic governor, we’d be ahead of where we are today.”

Gottfried also pointed to the role the courts took in pushing legal recognition for gay couples in Massachusetts, Hawaii and Vermont. Legislators in New York, he added, have not had that push.

In New Jersey, a state court dismissed a case last November, brought by seven same-sex couples seeking the right to marry. Lambda Legal, which is representing the plaintiffs, appealed the case to the New Jersey Supreme Court, which is among the most progressive and pro-gay in the country.

“The marriage lawsuit will proceed full-speed ahead,” Adams said. “This is a great start, but this provides four rights. Marriage in New Jersey provides hundreds of rights.”