Reacting to a lawmaker's introduction of a gay marriage bill, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Wednesday reiterated his opposition.

“I couldn't change my mind on that, but I am in favor of making sure that homosexual couples have the same type of legal rights that homosexuals couples have,” Christie said.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, the Legislature's only openly gay member, introduced a measure legalizing gay marriage in the Garden State on Monday.

“They're talking about it in New York,” Gusciora said. “Why aren't we talking about it in New Jersey?”

New Jersey currently recognizes gay and lesbian couples with civil unions, a remedy ordered in 2006 by the state's Supreme Court. A push in January of last year to move to marriage failed in the Senate, just weeks after the New York Senate passed on a similar measure, and as Governor Jon Corzine's administration wound down. Corzine had pledged to sign the bill if approved by lawmakers.

Without Christie on board, proponents need to secure a veto-proof majority in the Legislature to ensure passage – an unlikely prospect given last year's vote.

Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality, the state's largest gay rights group, said the issue is being pursued, possibly though the courts.

“Don't think that for a second, we and others have not been at work behind the scenes preparing for the next step,” he told the Star-Ledger. “I can assure you the conversation on marriage equality in the state of New Jersey is about to blast off once again and will be center stage.”

On Wednesday, the New York Assembly approved the gay marriage bill and sent it to the Senate.