NJ Civil Unions in Effect Today

As of midnight this morning, civil unions have officially become recognized in the state of New Jersey.

"The civil unions, which offer the legal benefits but not the title of marriage, were granted automatically to the hundreds of gay New Jersey couples who had previously been joined in civil unions or married in other states or nations."

New Jersey is now the third state to recognize civil unions, following Connecticut and Vermont.

A handful of town halls opened their doors at 12:01 this morning to accomodate those seeking to apply for a license. New Jersey has a 72-hour waiting period, so those new applicants will not be able to hold their ceremonies until the waiting period is up.

While the civil union law is not considered "equal" by many advocates, including the ACLU, this is a positive step forward in recognizing the rights of all.