Monday, January 9, 2006 -- The New Jersey Assembly late today passed a bill to expand the state's domestic partnership law by a vote of 67 to 6 with 5 abstentions/not present.  The bill, which Governor Codey will sign, gives a surviving domestic partner the same rights to inheritances and funeral arrangements as a surviving straight spouse would have in the absence of a will.

   With the state Senate passing the bill last Thursday by a vote of 39 to 0, the combined Assembly and Senate votes are 106 to 6, with 6 absentions/not present.  That, according to Garden State Equality's research, is the biggest margin for an LGBTI rights bill in any state legislature at any time in American history.