Bill to protect interracial marriage in New Jersey sent to Gov. Murphy to sign
State lawmakers created a bill in response to the United States Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade last year.
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Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to sign a bill that would protect interracial marriage in New Jersey.
State lawmakers created a bill in response to the United States Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade last year, allowing individual states to make their own laws about abortion.
The lawmakers say they believe the Supreme Court intends to revisit other legal precedents such as same-sex and interracial marriage.
“Given the risk that other personal decisions, currently protected under the federal constitution, could be returned to individual states for determination, including the right of persons of different racial or ethnic backgrounds to marry, it is prudent to protect interracial marriage in New Jersey statutory law,” lawmakers wrote regarding their bill. “This bill declares the right of a person to marry or enter into a civil union with a person of any race is fundamental and that race is not a prohibiting factor.”
The bill was passed by both chambers of the New Jersey Legislature and has been sent to Murphy’s desk.
The governor previously signed a bill that preserved the legal right for people in New Jersey to get an abortion if they choose.
Interracial marriage was made a federal right in 1967.
