TRENTON, N.J. (AP/ 1010 WINS) -- The New Jersey Legislature kicked off the lame duck session Monday with Democrats picking new leaders but both houses failing to advance a gay marriage bill that will die with the Republican governor-elect unless it's signed before his Jan. 19 inauguration.
South Jersey Sen. Steve Sweeney beat out Sen. Dick Codey for the Senate presidency, the chamber's most powerful post. Sen. Barbara Buono of Edison was selected majority leader.
Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver of East Orange will become the first African-American woman to be Assembly speaker, succeeding Joe Roberts, who is stepping down. Assemblyman Joe Cryan of Union was chosen majority leader in the Assembly.
The changes voted on by majority Democrats will become official when the Legislature reconvenes Jan. 12. Since Democrats hold majorities in both houses, the leadership posts do not need Republican support to pass.
The new legislative leaders will determine which bills get voted on after Gov.-elect Chris Christie takes office.
On Monday, the Democratic leaders pledged to work cooperatively with Christie whenever possible.
``There's going to be agreement on a lot of issues,'' like reducing costs, Sweeney said. ``Social issues, there's going to be differences.''
Christie, a practicing Catholic, has said he would veto a gay marriage bill. Outgoing Gov. Jon Corzine, a socially liberal Democrat, has said he would sign such a bill.
A poll released last week showed that New Jerseyans narrowly support gay marriage.
But enthusiasm for the bill has waned since Christie, a social conservative, beat Corzine by 100,000 votes on Nov. 3. The election was widely viewed as a referendum on high property taxes, strangling state debt and continued unemployment, making some lawmakers skittish about taking on a potentially divisive issue like marriage equality.
Gay rights activists lobbied at the Statehouse on Monday, calling on lawmakers to post the bill for a vote and threatening to withhold support to Democrats who don't back the measure.
At a protest outside the Statehouse, activists said civil unions -- currently allowed in New Jersey -- do not offer the same protections of marriage.
Louise Walpin and Marsha Shapiro, a couple with four children, said not all prospective employers offer health insurance to couples like themselves in civil unions. The insurance is critically important, they said, because their children are handicapped.
After a private meeting among Democratic senators, bill co-sponsor Sen. Loretta Weinberg insisted the gay marriage bill isn't dead. She said discussions would continue, tamping down persistent chatter that the measure lacks support to pass.
Legislative leaders have said they won't post the bill for a vote unless it has at least 21 votes in the Senate and 41 in the Assembly.
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