News Item

Legislative Progress in NJ (NJ,US)

Safe Schools Bill

By Donna M. Cartwright, founding member, GRAANJ

June 20, 2002

I'm delighted to report that the New Jersey Assembly voted 74-0 (with 2  abstentions) today to approve a transgender inclusive safe schools bill.  The bill was approved by the Assembly education committee last Monday,  after GRAANJ, GLSEN, the NJ Lesbian and Gay Coalition, and other progressive and allied groups presented powerful testimony in support.

The State Senate Education Committee approved the bill by a 6-1 vote in May. We don't know when the full Senate will vote on it, but prospectsappear good.

If approved, this will be the first piece of statewide legislation in New Jersey to contain "gender identity and expression" as a separate protected category.

GRAANJ representatives also took part today in a briefing session in Trenton organized by Lambda Legal Defense concerning a suit that will be filed next week seeking to have the state's refusal to allow same-sex marriages declared unconstitutional. We were warmly welcomed by the NJLGC, Stonewall Democrats and Lambda as partners in this effort.