I note that New Jersey, my neighboring state, has passed a law allowing civil unions with all of the legal benefits of marriage for same-sex partners and for partners of any gender over 65. My son asked me why the over-65 group and why not all persons declaring a partnership, not just same-sex partners. I explained that it is clear that the law was written to provide the legal benefits of marriage to (a) those who cannot marry, i.e., same-sex partners, and (b) partners over 65 because when people over 65 who are collecting Social Security marry, the SS benefit for one of them (usually the woman) is cut but it stays the same if they just live together (this is especially true if the woman was collecting SS based on her deceased former husband's SS - if she didn't work or didn't earn much, that is the most likely scenario).

It's an interesting and thought-provoking combination in this legislation.