New Jersey passes gay marriage bill

New Jersey has become the latest US state to pass a gay marriage bill, with the legislation going through the state Assembly on Thursday (US time) with a 42-33 vote.

The vote now sets the stage for an expected veto by Republican governor Chris Christie.

Christie has long opposed gay marriage and had promised “very swift action” if the bill passed both houses of the Legislature.

New Jersey’s Senate approved the bill Monday.

Christie has said he wants gay marriage put to a popular vote while his Democratic opponents say same-sex marriage is a civil right protected by the Constitution and not subject to referendum.

Six states and Washington, D.C. currently recognise gay marriages. Washington state’s new gay marriage law is scheduled to take effect in June.

A governor’s veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority vote in each house, but the bill would need several Republican votes to get the numbers.

The US state of Maryland is also currently debating a marriage equality bill, expected to be voted on in the coming days.