Lawmaker Raises Marriage Equality Bill in New Jersey

One New Jersey lawmaker is looking at the neighboring state of New York and wondering, Why can't we do that?

Democratic assemblyman Reed Gusciora, who is New Jersey's only openly gay lawmaker, Monday introduced a marriage equality bill -- A4130.

"They're talking about it in New York," Gusciora told NJ.com. "Why aren't we talking about it in New Jersey?"

Even if proponents are able to find the one last vote needed to pass gay marriage in New York's senate, there are actually a few looming reasons that New York is much different from New Jersey. Most importantly, the attitudes of the two governors are entirely different. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is a Democrat who has led the charge to get a marriage equality bill passed in New York. By comparison, Republican New Jersey governor Chris Christie said as recently as Tuesday that he opposes gay marriage.

"I believe marriage is an institution between one man and one woman," he told CNN's Piers Morgan. "I think it's special and unique in society, and I think we can have civil unions that can help to give the same type of legal rights to same-sex couples that marriage gives them. But I just think marriage has as a special connotation. And I couldn't see myself changing my mind on that."

New Jersey already allows civil unions, which Christie has said he supports. If gay marriage did manage to pass through the state legislature, arrive on Christie's desk only to get vetoed, it would go back to the legislature for a vote on overriding the veto. Proponents told NJ.com the votes aren't there to override Christie.