SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)–A bill that would legalize same-sex “marriage” in California won’t be voted on this year, but it’s far from dead.
The bill was dropped May 19 by its sponsor, Democratic Assemblyman Mark Leno, who said it was not guaranteed passage on the floor this year. But Leno, an open homosexual, promised to bring the bill back up next year. In addition, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez says he will support the bill.
“We remain committed to ensuring equality and civil rights for every resident of this state,” Nunez said in a statement.
The bill passed a legislative committee in April by an 8-3 vote –- a first for such a bill in a U.S. state legislature.
Conservatives said the bill was dropped solely because it is an election year. Polls show that a majority of Californians oppose same-sex “marriage.”
“It is the height of arrogance for these Democrat politicians to scheme to trash the vote of the people on marriage when they think voters aren’t looking,” Randy Thomasson, executive director of the Campaign for California Families, said in a statement.
“For the sake of the children, the overwhelming majority of Californians want marriage protected for a man and a woman this year, next year and always. Why do the Democrat politicians keep pushing for homosexual ‘marriage’ when the people have repeatedly said ‘no’? The strategy of Leno and the Democrat bosses is going to backfire.”
California is one of approximately 38 states with a defense of marriage law protecting the traditional definition of marriage. It passed by a margin of 61-39 percent in 2000.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has yet to take a public position on the bill. But a spokeswoman said he supports the state’s defense of marriage act and feels that same-sex “marriage” would violate the law.
“He has stated pretty clearly that he believes marriage is between a man and a woman,” the spokeswoman, Terri Carbaugh, told The Sacramento Bee.
While Massachusetts remains the only state to legalize same-sex “marriage,” homosexual activists believe a handful of other states, including California, could be next in line. California’s legislature is thought to be one of the more liberal state legislatures in the nation.
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For more information about the national debate over same-sex “marriage,” visit
http://www.bpnews.net/samesexmarriage
