---

Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ Bill Re-Introduced in California Legislature

Bill nearly identical to legislation Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed in 2005

By Gudrun Schultz

SACRAMENTO, California, December 5, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The new California legislature reintroduced a measure to permit homosexual “marriage” after the swearing-in on Monday, the Associated Press reported.

The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act was introduced by Assemblyman Mark Leno. The bill is nearly identical to legislation allowing homosexual marriage that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed in 2005, after the measure narrowly passed both the Assembly and the Senate.

The measure would change the wording of the Family Code to remove the current definition of  marriage as a civil contract between a man and a woman, replacing it with a definition of marriage as a civil contract between two persons.

The bill would also establish the right of religious institutions to refuse to solemnize homosexual unions if it would violate their fundamental beliefs.

California law grants homosexual couples almost all of the same rights as married couples, but stops short of granting the right of marriage.

In related news, Attorney General Bill Lockyer asked the California Supreme Court yesterday to review the constitutionality of the state’s ban on same-sex marriages.

Attorneys for same-sex couples filed an appeal with the state Supreme Court in November, asking for a repeal of an October decision by the California Court of Appeals which defended the state’s law against homosexual marriage. The appeals court decision overturned a Superior Court ruling that said the state law denying same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. 

Attorney General Lockyear has defended the state law in the courts, the AP reported. Although not personally opposed to homosexual marriage, Lockyer has said that the rights of same-sex couples are covered under the state’s provisions for domestic partnerships. 

Attorney General Lockyer requested the Supreme Court take the review, saying a ruling from the high court is required to provide a conclusive resolution on the constitutionality of the state law.

The Supreme Court will decide by February 14 whether or not to hear the case.

See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:

Schwarzenegger Vetoes Bill to Legalize California Same-Sex Marriage
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/sep/05093009.html

California Supreme Court Asked to Overturn Ban on Homosexual ‘Marriage’
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/nov/06111406.html

California Appeals Court Overturns Same-Sex “Marriage” Ruling
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/oct/06100605.html

 Back to Top

---

MORE NEWS: LifeSiteNews.com Home Page  Last 10 Days   Archives   Special Reports

Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.