Posted on 06/29/2005 7:07:20 PM PDT by calcowgirl
SACRAMENTO – Despite a defeat in the Assembly and a likely veto from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, advocates of same-sex marriage plan to revive their legislation in the Senate.
Yesterday, they began using a legislative technique known as "gut and amend" to replace the provisions of an Assembly bill that's already in the Senate with provisions from the defeated same-sex marriage bill.
"I can continue the fight for a critically important civil rights issue," said Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, the author of the same-sex marriage bill. "Why would I not go forward?"
Gay rights advocates hope that the more liberal Senate will pass the bill, fueling momentum for Assembly approval. Both houses are controlled by Democrats.
Leno said the Senate has a reputation as a more friendly place for progressive causes than the Assembly.
Leno estimates that he is three votes shy of the 41 votes needed to win approval from the 80-member Assembly, though the bill fell six votes short earlier this month.
Opponents argue that the measure would undermine a traditional institution.
The bill faces a variety of legal hurdles. Opponents contend it violates Proposition 22, the 2000 statute approved by voters stating that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid in California.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has been sympathetic to gay rights, has indicated he would likely veto the Leno bill. His aides say he believes that same-sex marriage could be legalized only by the courts or a vote of the people.
Some critics also say the issue is a distraction that could impede efforts by Democrats and their allies to form a united opposition to Schwarzenegger's measures on the Nov. 8 special election ballot.
Earlier this month, Assemblyman Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, who voted against the same-sex marriage bill, said it was best to wait.
"We've moved the issue of civil rights for gays and lesbians a long way in the last five years," Vargas said. "I think it's appropriate now to catch our breath and allow things to settle down."
Leno disagrees. Most statewide Democratic candidates support the effort, while the California Democratic Party has endorsed the bill, he said.
Opponents have launched a drive to qualify a new ballot measure to amend the constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage. The measure also would roll back recently enacted laws that guarantee many of the rights of marriage to same-sex couples that register as domestic partners.
Randy Thomasson, president of the Campaign for Children and Families, said that reviving the same-sex marriage bill in the Senate will backfire, persuading more voters to sign petitions for the new ballot measure, thus furthering "the cause of protecting marriage for a man and a woman."
"If Leno blatantly pushes forward, attacking marriage and California voters," Thomasson said, "he will bring down the Democratic Party by making it the party of homosexual marriage."
Likely??? How about WILL, Arnie?
His aides say he believes that same-sex marriage could be legalized only by the courts or a vote of the people.
Just what we need, the courts making the law. Somebody give this guy a civics lesson.
Queers in the Senate at it again.Put this out to the VOTERS.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
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