TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Monday nominated Bruce Harris, an openly gay African-American Republican mayor, to the state's Supreme Court.

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The Washington state legislature appears to have the votes necessary to legalize same-sex marriage, as another state Senator on Monday announced her support for the measure, giving proponents the 25 votes needed for passage.

GORDONSVILLE, Tenn. — Another gay teen has been lost to anti-gay bullying — Phillip Parker, 14, died last week, the victim of an apparent suicide. His parents said Phillip was constantly bullied because he was gay.

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich pulled a surprise win in the South Carolina primary on Saturday, throwing off expectations for the race for the GOP nomination. With 31 percent of precincts reporting, Gingrich had a wide lead with 40.8 percent of the vote. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was in second with 21.1 percent.

Extending marriage rights to same-sex couples in Washington State ccould lead to an $88-million boost to the state's economy over the first three years, according to a new report, which also finds that the total spending on wedding arrangements and tourism is likely to generate $8 million in tax revenue for state and local governments.

Washington, Colorado, New Jersey -- state legislatures are moving even faster than we thought on marriage equality. But it's not all good news. Meanwhile, Canadian turmoil calls thousands of marriages into question, and preparations continue for the impending decision in the Prop 8 case.

TOWSON, Md. -- Montgomery County police chief Thomas Manger says that allegations that rapes and sexual assaults occurred in public restrooms following passage of a transgender accommodation law are "untrue." The assertion comes in response to opposition to a transgender rights bill introduced Tuesday in Baltimore County, Md. -- the bill would protect transgender people and allow use of restrooms according to their gender identity.

DALLAS -- A spokesperson for the Dallas Veterans Affairs Center has confirmed that nurse practitioner Lincy Pandithurai would "retire from federal service" effective Jan. 21 after being accused of anti-gay harassment.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina Equality, the Palmetto state’s LGBT education and political advocacy organization, announced Thursday that South Carolina joins Indiana this week as one of three states to claim pro-equality license plates. Maryland was the first in 2008.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A coalition consisting of state and national LGBTQ and human rights advocacy groups, faith organizations, communities of color, nonpartisan organizations, and business and community leaders is organizing an effort to defeat the proposed North Carolina constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages.

CONCORD, N.H. -- Republican House leaders have delayed the vote on the repeal of New Hampshire's same-sex marriage law, said House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt, (R-Salem), in an e-mail to the media Tuesday afternoon.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A controversial piece of legislation dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill -- which would ban Tennessee public schools from teaching about LGBTQ issues -- was delayed from [...]

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Indiana has become the first state in the nation to offer specialty automobile license plates promoting awareness of gay youth groups.

GRANITE BAY, Calif. — Another gay teen, the apparent victim of anti-gay bullying, has been lost to suicide. In the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, Jeffrey Fehr, 18, hanged himself at his family’s home in Granite Bay, Calif.

SAN DIEGO – Well-known AIDS and LGBT activist Mike Tidmus of San Diego died Sunday. He was 60. Tidmus’ death was reported on his Facebook page by his brother.