Bill > A1

This bill, titled the "Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act," enacts significant changes to New Jersey law regarding marriage and civil unions. It declares that "marriage" is the legally recognized union of two consenting persons, effectively extending marriage rights to same-sex couples, a move prompted by a 2006 New Jersey Supreme Court decision, *Lewis v. Harris*, which found that denying such rights to same-sex couples violated constitutional equal protection. The bill also repeals the previous law that established civil unions, which were created as a response to the *Lewis v. Harris* decision but were found to be discriminatory and unequal. Importantly, the act includes several religious exemptions, ensuring that no member of the clergy or religious organization is required to solemnize or provide services for a marriage that violates their religious beliefs, and that no legal action can be taken against them for such refusals. Existing civil unions will be recognized as marriages, and couples in civil unions can apply for marriage licenses.