Gay marriage passes California legislature

Daily Kos Staff

Tuesday September 06, 2005 · 8:35 PM PDT

2005/09/06 · 20:35

I'm so proud of my adopted home state. California is now the first state to have gay marriage pass its legislature.

The California Legislature on Tuesday became the first legislative body in the country to allow same-sex marriages, as gay-rights advocates overcame two earlier defeats in the Assembly.

The 41-35 vote sends the bill to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The bill's supporters compared the legislation to earlier civil rights campaigns, including efforts to eradicate slavery and give women the right to vote.

"Do what we know is in our hearts," said the bill's sponsor, San Francisco Democrat Mark Leno. "Make sure all California families will have the same protection under the law."

Leno's bill had failed in the Assembly by four votes in June, but he was confident he could get it through on a second try after the Senate approved a same-sex marriage bill last week.

Assemblyman Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood, called bans on gay marriage "the last frontier of bigotry and discrimination, and it's time we put an end to it."

Will Schwarzenegger sign the bill?

Of course, this isn't the end of the road. The California Taliban is seeking signatures for a 2006 ballot initiative that would override this legislation (assuming Schwarzenegger signs it).

(Thanks to AustinSF for the headsup.)

Update: I missed this earlier story indicating Arnold will veto this legislation in order to -- get this -- let the courts sort things out.

Aren't Republicans always yammering about legislatures legislating and not the courts? But I guess, like everything else in their rhetorical arsenal, it applies on a case-by-case basis depending on what's ideologically expedient.

Gay marriage passes California legislature

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