New Jersey Gay Marriage: Legislature to Take Up Key Issue

New Jersey's state legislature plans to take up the controversial issue of gay marriage as a key push one year after New York legalized the practice amid national attention.

Democratic New Jersey state lawmakers said they will reintroduce a gay marriage bill in the next week, saying they will consider the law a key issue in the coming term, NBC New York reported.

Two years ago, a similar bill failed in the Legislature, but Democratic legislators feel the momentum is in their favor in the wake of New York's victory for marriage equality.

NBC New York reported that four people with direct knowledge of the draft bill told the Associated Press that Dems plan to pass the bill through the Legislature quickly and have it before Gov. Chris Christie as soon as next month.

Christie, a Republican, has repeatedly said that he does not support gay marriage. Only six states and Washington, D.C., have legalized gay marriage, while New Jersey allows civil unions but not gay marriage. The distinction bars gays from many legal protections and other benefits afforded to straight married couples.