As New Jersey Opens Door to Civil Unions, Couples Rush In

[Doondoo]

Couples around the state have been waiting with a New Year’s Eve like anticipation for 12:01 a.m. Monday since Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed the law allowing civil unions, though many were still disappointed with the term, preferring “same-sex marriage” or “spousal union.”

It had been an arduous process to get to this point. After years of lobbying and stalling by politicians, the issue wound up before the State Supreme Court, which ruled that New Jersey’s domestic partnership laws were lacking. The court ordered the State Legislature to create a law that would provide the same full rights and benefits to same-sex couples as opposite-sex ones. New Jersey already had a domestic partnership law that made same-sex couples eligible for state-financed pensions and some health care benefits.

The Legislature modeled its civil union law on those of Vermont and Connecticut, which allow for same-sex couples to take another’s surname without a court hearing, be able to jointly adopt and be entitled to inheritances. California also allows civil unions, Hawaii and Maine offer limited rights to same-sex couples and Massachusetts is the only state that allows gay marriage.

Under state law, couples must apply for civil unions and wait three days after the application is approved and a license is issued.

.......

Stuart J. Rabner, the state attorney general, said last week that couples who exchanged vows in states that have existing civil union laws were automatically entitled to the same rights in the Garden State. In addition, Mr. Rabner said that gay couples married in Massachusetts, Canada, the Netherlands, South Africa and Spain would also receive civil union rights in the state.

“The name of the relationship selected by other jurisdictions, however, will not control its treatment under New Jersey law,” Mr. Rabner said in a statement.


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/19/nyregion/19civil.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Good for NJ!

It would be nice to call it by a different name, but if the couples are receiving the same rights as married couples, THAT is what is important--and that NJ will recongize same sex unions for those states and countries that allow it. I hadn't thought of that before--what happens, say, if a married gay couple from MA are involved in a traffic accident in, say, FL, and one is hospitalized? Can FL deny the partner visiting rights?

[Siyahamba]

2. The same state rights

Not the same federal rights.