Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey took a significant step on Tuesday by signing a law that safeguards the right of individuals to marry without racial restrictions. This move seeks to establish legal protection for a longstanding but previously unexplicit right within New Jersey, especially in light of several conservative U.S. Supreme Court decisions in recent times.
This legislative action follows a little over a year after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn abortion rights, a ruling that highlighted the vulnerability of well-established laws concerning matters such as reproduction and marriage, historically considered private affairs.
Governor Murphy’s action solidifies the legal protection of interracial marriages in New Jersey, even in the event that the Supreme Court’s conservative majority revisits its landmark 1967 precedent, Loving v. Virginia. This landmark decision had prohibited states from banning marriages based on racial differences.
In explaining his decision, Governor Murphy emphasized the need to safeguard New Jersey residents’ right to marry without racial restrictions due to the prevailing uncertainty surrounding fundamental principles of equality and personal freedom across the nation.
Governor Murphy expressed, “In New Jersey, we are committed to being on the right side of history, ensuring that individuals have the freedom to marry the person they love.”
This newly enacted law, which also extends to civil unions, comes nearly two years after Governor Murphy signed a bill that formally recognized and codified the rights of same-sex couples to marry.