CBS: New Jersey Assembly Won't Take Lead On Gay Marriage Bill

CBS 3 reports that the "head of the New Jersey Assembly will ask lawmakers in his chamber to vote on a bill to legalize gay marriage only if the state Senate passes it first. The decision, announced Thursday afternoon by Joseph Roberts, a Camden Democrat who supports gay marriage, is the latest step in a tumultuous bid to get lawmakers to pass the law before Jan. 19, when a new governor takes office. Advocates for the law say there is still a chance they will succeed, but Roberts' decision to give the issue to the Senate shows that the push isn't gaining much momentum at a crucial moment. With neither the Assembly nor the Senate ready to take a vote, the bill is, in the words of one Senate leader, 'in limbo at best.' Four states — Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts and Vermont — recognize same-sex marriage. A law to do so in New Hampshire goes into effect Friday. A similar bill is also pending in Washington, D.C. Most states have constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage." Tweet