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The New Jersey Senate just passed a gay marriage bill by a vote of 24-16, but Gov. Chris Christie has said he'd veto such a law, so it's still unlikely we'll see same-sex marriages there in the immediate future. The state already has a civil unions law in place after its Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that same sex couples had to be given the same right as heterosexual ones, Reuters notes. But marriage advocates have argued that a civil union doesn't pass that test. The New Jersey Assembly is expected to pass this bill on Thursday. Christie was applauded by some for suggesting the state put gay marriage up for a vote, which would likely succeed and would allow him to maintain his stated opposition to it (helpful for a Republican with national aspirations), without having to actually prevent it from existing. The legislature doesn't seem to be humoring Christie and his political games though, and this looks likely to force him to either sign it or veto. Look out for a showdown later this month.

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