The decision has sparked a renewed push by same-sex marriage supporters in New Jersey and today, advocate groups announced their intentions to file a motion for summary judgement in state Superior Court.
Following a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday regarding the Defense of Marriage Act, a local New Jersey Assemblyman joined other lawmakers and same-sex marriage activists in a rally this afternoon at the Statehouse in Trenton.
With a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court ruled same-sex couples who are married should receive the same federal benefits as heterosexual couples.
The decision has sparked a renewed push by same-sex marriage supporters in New Jersey, and advocate groups today announced their intentions to file a motion for summary judgment in state Superior Court.
The motion will seek to nullify the state's current civil-union law, which the advocate groups say has now been proved illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision.
Alongside support from the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey and Garden State Equality, gay-rights group Lambda Legal plans on filing the motion on behalf of six same-sex couples in the state.
Troy Stevenson, executive director of Garden State Equality, said that as it stands following the DOMA ruling, New Jersey's policy of civil unions is not equal and predicted that by year's end, the law would be changed.
"New Jersey will have marriage equality by the end of the year," Stevenson said.
Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, a Democrat whose 15th District covers parts of Hunterdon County, was among the featured speakers at today's rally and has previously attempted to lead the charge for same-sex marriage in New Jersey. In February 2012, a bill he had sponsored passed through both the Assembly and Senate, but was vetoed by Gov. Christie in favor of putting it on a ballot for voters to decide.
Some state Democrats have announced their intention to rally support to override Christie's veto. Lawmakers have until Jan. 14, 2014, the end of the current legislative session, to attempt an override but may see their hopes come to fruition sooner if the proposal lands on the November ballot.
Today, Gusciora, one of two openly gay legislators in the state, said he'd "like to see a veto override today" and also noted his support for the announced legal efforts. Still, he said, he wasn't opposed to taking Christie up on his ballot proposition.
"I also challenge us to take it to the streets," Gusciora said. "Put it on the ballot."
After some members of the public gallery refuted Gusciora's ballot idea by shouting, "No ballot for civil rights," he argued that doing so would instead be an "affirmation of civil rights."
Gusciora also questioned the thought process of Christie and others who oppose Wednesday's DOMA ruling on the basis that it infringes on the traditional institution of marriage.
"How does a gay couple diminish your marriage?" Gusciora said.
State Sen. Barbara Buono, a Democrat who is challenging Christie in this year's gubernatorial election, spoke out today in support of both legislative and legal efforts to pass same-sex marriage in New Jersey.
Buono, whose daughter is an open lesbian, said that for her, the issue is deeply personal.
"I'm here as a mother first, as a senator second," Buono said.
She noted it was a cause she intended to see through, whether it be in court or in the Legislature.
"We've got to double down and make sure we get this done today," Buono said.
In a radio appearance Wednesday night on NJ 101.15 FM, Christie was critical of the court's decision and called it "incredibly insulting" to the members of Congress who voted for DOMA in 1996.
“It’s just another example of judicial supremacy rather than having the government run by the people we actually vote for,” Christie said on the show. “I thought it was a bad decision.”