Same-sex marriage supporters suffered a major setback in New Jersey yesterday, when the state Senate voted 20 – 14 to defeat a bill that would have allowed gay marriage.

But gay marriage advocates aren’t throwing in the towel just yet: they are preparing to take their battle for equal rights back to the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Only four years ago, that same court ordered state lawmakers to give same-sex couples the same rights as opposite-sex couples — whether the unions were termed “marriages” or something else. The state legislature subsequently passed a law permitting civil unions; however, gay rights organizations said that didn’t go far enough.  They pointed out that same-sex couples still could face discrimination when seeking to obtain health insurance, or when one partner in a civil union tried to visit his or her sick partner in hospital.

“We are upset, we are disappointed, but we aren’t done fighting,” said Leslie Gabel-Brett, the director of education and public affairs for the Lambda Legal Defense Fund.

More details:  The New York Times