Calif. Senate Votes to Allow Gay Marriages, everyone needs to pray about this one.
Articles / In The News
Date: Sep 01, 2005 - 06:39 PM
|
 |
|
Calif. Senate Votes to Allow Gay Marriages,
SACRAMENTO -- The California State Senate voted today to allow homosexuals to marry, becoming the first legislative body in the United States to embrace the idea and setting off a frantic scramble for three votes in the Assembly that could propel the measure toward becoming law.
The Senate approved the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act — which would make marriage a civil contract between two people rather than a man and a woman — by the minimum number of necessary votes, 21-15. All Republicans opposed the bill, as did one Democrat, Sen. Dean Florez of Shafter; three Democrats abstained.
In a signal of how precarious passage was even in the generally liberal Senate, advocates had waited an extra day to hold the vote until they were assured that Sen. Kevin Murray (D-Culver City), whose wife is in labor, could be present to vote in support.
With the year's legislative session slated to end next Friday, the fight shifts to the Assembly, where the measure failed to pass in June, 37-36. Legislation requires 41 votes for approval. Since then, backers have only been able to ensure one additional vote, of a lawmaker who had been absent that day.
Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), the proposal's chief sponsor, said, "We're looking for three votes, and I can't tell you today who the three will be, but I think the power of the success coming from the floor of the Senate today will give us the necessary momentum and encouragement to do what we all know is the right thing to do."
The governor's spokeswoman, Margita Thompson, indicated that Schwarzenegger would not sign the bill if it gets to his desk.
"The governor was elected to uphold the laws of California. The people spoke when they voted in Proposition 22. It has subsequently gone to the courts and the governor believes that is where it should be decided. It's an issue for the people and the courts," she said.
California would be the second state to permit gays and lesbians to marry, after Massachusetts, where the state's highest court legalized it starting in May 2004.
So far, lawmakers in two states, Connecticut and Vermont, have approved civil unions. In July, Spain and Canada legalized gay marriage, following the Netherlands and Belgium. Some other countries allow civil unions.
|
 |
|
Calif. Senate Votes to Allow Gay Marriages,
SACRAMENTO -- The California State Senate voted today to allow homosexuals to marry, becoming the first legislative body in the United States to embrace the idea and setting off a frantic scramble for three votes in the Assembly that could propel the measure toward becoming law.
The Senate approved the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act — which would make marriage a civil contract between two people rather than a man and a woman — by the minimum number of necessary votes, 21-15. All Republicans opposed the bill, as did one Democrat, Sen. Dean Florez of Shafter; three Democrats abstained.
In a signal of how precarious passage was even in the generally liberal Senate, advocates had waited an extra day to hold the vote until they were assured that Sen. Kevin Murray (D-Culver City), whose wife is in labor, could be present to vote in support.
With the year's legislative session slated to end next Friday, the fight shifts to the Assembly, where the measure failed to pass in June, 37-36. Legislation requires 41 votes for approval. Since then, backers have only been able to ensure one additional vote, of a lawmaker who had been absent that day.
Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), the proposal's chief sponsor, said, "We're looking for three votes, and I can't tell you today who the three will be, but I think the power of the success coming from the floor of the Senate today will give us the necessary momentum and encouragement to do what we all know is the right thing to do."
The governor's spokeswoman, Margita Thompson, indicated that Schwarzenegger would not sign the bill if it gets to his desk.
"The governor was elected to uphold the laws of California. The people spoke when they voted in Proposition 22. It has subsequently gone to the courts and the governor believes that is where it should be decided. It's an issue for the people and the courts," she said.
California would be the second state to permit gays and lesbians to marry, after Massachusetts, where the state's highest court legalized it starting in May 2004.
So far, lawmakers in two states, Connecticut and Vermont, have approved civil unions. In July, Spain and Canada legalized gay marriage, following the Netherlands and Belgium. Some other countries allow civil unions.
|
|
This article comes from World's Largest Prayer Board Annointed.net News
http://www.annointed.net/
The URL for this story is:
http://www.annointed.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=932
|
|