As predicted, New Jersey’s state legislature failed to pass same-gender marriage in a vote yesterday, making it pretty darn doubtful that Garden State same-gender couples will have access to anything other than civil unions for the foreseeable future. Not only has incoming Governor Chris Christie (who takes his seat on January 19th) has promised to burn, smash, destroy, and generally oppose any marriage equality legislation that crosses his desk, but only a feeble minority of New Jersey senators voted in favor of equality yesterday, making it even less likely that the legislative leadership would be able to muster enough votes to override any potential veto. In response, Lambda Legal and Garden State Equality have promised to sue the state for failing to abide by a 2006 court decision mandating equal protection under the law.

“We are not waiting out the term of any new Administration to bring equality to same-sex couples in our state. With today’s vote in the state senate, the New Jersey legislature defaulted on its constitutional obligation to provide same-sex couples in New Jersey equal protection, as unanimously mandated by the New Jersey Supreme Court in 2006.”

As Americablog points out NJ senators admitted civil unions were not equal to marriage, though, giving Lambda Legal some fresh ammunition when they come before the state Supreme Court.

Elsewhere…

Australia – Aussie tennis star Andy Roddick gets upstaged by a pair of lady Koalas going at it as he tries to give an interview to reporters. (The Courier Mail)

Uganda – President Yoweri Museveni’s government issued it’s strongest opposition yet to the “Kill Gays” bill offered by MP David Bahati, a member of Museveni’s party. Bahati has refused to withdraw his bill, showing that US government pressure against Museveni may have succeed, but Bahati’s backers in the Ugandan religious establishment (and the secretive evangelical organization The Family, where Bahati is reportedly a rising star) are likely still standing strong. (BBC, Box Turtle Bulletin)

New York – The Tea Parties pull the GOP in one direction, the Libertarians pull them in another – towards equality. (The Advocate)