Text of NJ A 837 (2012)

ASSEMBLY, No. 837 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 215th LEGISLATURE PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2012 SESSION Sponsored by: Assemblywoman ALISON LITTELL MCHOSE District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren) Assemblyman GARY R. CHIUSANO District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren) SYNOPSIS Provides that public official may refuse to solemnize civil unions if solemnization conflicts with public official's conscience or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel An Act concerning civil unions and supplementing Title 37 of the Revised Statutes. Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey: 1. A public official authorized under R.S.37:1-13 to solemnize marriages or civil unions may refuse to solemnize civil unions if such solemnization is in conflict with the public official's conscience or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs. Refusal to solemnize civil unions under these circumstances shall not preclude a public official from solemnizing marriages and shall not constitute a violation of the "Law Against Discrimination," P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.) or any other law. 2. This act shall take effect on February 19, 2007. STATEMENT P.L.2006, c.103, enacted December 21, 2006, authorizes same-sex civil unions in this State. This bill provides that a public official authorized to solemnize marriages or civil unions may refuse to solemnize civil unions if such solemnization is in conflict with the public official's conscience or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs. Under the bill, refusal to solemnize civil unions under these circumstances would not preclude a public official from solemnizing marriages and would not constitute a violation of the "Law Against Discrimination," P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.) or any other law. This bill would take effect on February 19, 2007, the effective date of P.L.2006, c.103.