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Calif. legislative committee passes bill legalizing same-sex ‘marriage’


SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)–A California legislative committee made history April 20, passing a bill legalizing same-sex “marriage.”

While the bill has a long way to go before becoming law, it is the first time in American history that such a bill has passed a state legislative committee.

The bill, AB 1967, must pass the California senate and assembly before going to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who in the past has said he opposes same-sex “marriage” but has yet to take a public stance on the bill.

It passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee by an 8-3 vote and now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

“The bad news is that homosexual marriage has passed a legislative committee for the first time in American history,” Randy Thomasson, executive director of the Campaign for California Families, told Baptist Press. “The good news is this bill is in trouble and can be defeated with a flood of opposition and sincere prayers by people who know God.”

Traditionalists argue that the bill would violate the will of the people, who, by a 61-39 percent margin, passed a proposition in 2000 defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Mark Leno, a Democrat and an open homosexual.

“The momentum has shifted dramatically. This is a historic day,” Geoffrey Kors, executive director of the homosexual activist group Equality California, said, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Thomasson encouraged pro-family citizens in California to call or write their legislators. Legislators’ contact information — as well as a printable church bulletin insert — is available at www.savecalifornia.com.

“The reason that this went forward is that there aren’t enough people of faith standing up for righteousness in the public square,” Thomasson said. “It is time for pastors and persons of faith everywhere to repent of their inaction. Darkness is nothing more than the absence of light.

“Our laziness, materialism and cowardice over the last few decades have resulted in bad government that is attacking every sacred thing in sight,” he said.

The bill was the latest in a series of developments April 20 regarding same-sex “marriage.” The others:

— An Oregon judge ordered the state’s most populous county to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. But the judge also ordered the state to recognize the licenses that had already been issued. The ruling likely will be appealed. The ruling means that no locality in America is issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples — at least until May 17, when the controversial Massachusetts court ruling is scheduled to take effect.

— Four pro-family groups filed a request with the Massachusetts high court, asking it to delay the implementation of its pro-same-sex “marriage” ruling until 2006, when citizens may get to vote on a state constitutional marriage amendment. The request was filed on behalf of C. Joseph Doyle, Executive Director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts
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  • Michael Foust