A bill that could have modernized New Jersey’s family-building laws was stopped in its tracks this week by Gov. Chris Christie.
Christie vetoed the New Jersey Gestational Carrier Agreement Act on Monday, the eve of his Republican presidential-campaign announcement. The bill, passed by both chambers of the New Jersey legislature, would have allowed for the creation of legal gestational-surrogacy agreements, in which intended parents can be legally named at birth.
Gestational surrogacy is the process by which a fertilized donor egg is implanted into a carrier, who has no genetic relation to the child. The practice has gained increasing popularity with same-sex couples, especially with lesbians who wish for one partner’s egg to be used and the other partner to carry the child. But New Jersey is one of 36 states that does not sanction gestational-surrogacy agreements, documents that can be used to ensure the intended parents both have legal rights to the child at birth.
“This veto is a terrible outcome for families across New Jersey who need gestational-surrogacy agreements to strengthen their families,” said Andrea Bowen, executive director for Garden State Equality. “We deplore what Gov. Christie has done.”
Christie previously vetoed similar legislation in 2012.
Human Rights Campaign submitted written testimony in favor of the bill throughout the legislative process.
HRC national field director Marty Rouse decried Christie’s veto.
“Instead of modernizing New Jersey’s surrogacy laws by signing this important bipartisan legislation into law, Gov. Christie chose to stand in the way of progress,” Rouse said. “Garden State families deserve better than the outdated obstacles that will now remain in place because of Gov. Christie — outdated laws that restrict their ability to establish appropriate parental and family rights. What a backwards way to start a campaign for the highest office in the land.”