The New Jersey Legislature stopped short of acknowledging true civil rights for lesbians and gays today, but earned at least partial credit for obeying the New Jersey Supreme Court's mandate to provide at least some of the rights of marriage to same-sex couples. Jersey thus becomes one of the more enlightened states in the Union on the issue of marriage equality, though it's disappointing that legislators couldn't bring themselves to commit to genuine equality.

Still, as Blue Jersey points out, the train has left the station: full marriage rights are probably inevitable. Partial progress on matters of basic civil rights is frustrating, but it's encouraging to see marriage equality gaining momentum not just in the courts, but in the legislative arena. Rights shouldn't be subject to legislative approval, but there's no denying that the debate has moved significantly beyond where it was just a few years ago.

Meanwhile, credit is also due the New York legislature, who - as Dan notes, sent Governor Pataki packing today without key items from his wish list like civil confinement and an expansion of charter schools - despite the fact that it cost them a pay raise.

Sometimes, after exhausting all the other options, a legislative body finally chooses to do the right thing (despite some people's petulance). Here's hoping that New Jersey takes the next step on marriage equality (and that New York at least takes the first steps). And here's to the wild idea that the New York legislature, having done the right thing at the end of the 2006 session, gets even nuttier and does the right thing for 2007: adopting real rules reform.

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