Liza
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2003
- Messages
- 4,356
- Reaction score
- 3
IN HISTORIC FIRST, CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE PASSES SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BILL
Assembly Judiciary Committee Votes 8 to 3 in favor of EQCA’s Legislation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (April 20, 2004)
Contact: 415.581.0005 or email@eqca.org
SACRAMENTO – In an historic first, the California State Assembly Judiciary voted 8 to 3, along party lines, in favor of Equality California ’s groundbreaking Marriage License Non-Discrimination Act (AB 1967) by Assemblyman Mark Leno (D – San Francisco ).
This vote marks the first time in our nation's history that a state legislative body has voted in favor of issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.
“This is an incredible victory not only for California ’s lesbian and gay couples and their children but for all people who believe in equal rights,” said Geoffrey Kors, Equality California ’s Executive Director. “The Committee today voted to return California to the definition of marriage that existed before 1977, when the legislature changed it from a contract between ‘two people’ to a contract between ‘a man and a woman.' That law is the only remaining law in California enacted by this body that affirmatively discriminates against a protected group of Californian.”
While this is a very significant step toward ensuring that all California families are treated equally, it is only the first of many hurdles we will need to overcome to ensure victory. So we are calling on all equality-minded Californians to make their voices heard by logging on to EQCA’s advocacy center at www.eqca.org and sending a message to their elected officials in support of this historic bill.
The complete text of Kors testimony before the Judiciary committee is attached.
The legislation now moves on to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
The Vote:
In Favor:
*
Ellen M. Corbett , Chair (Dem-18)
*
Hannah-Beth Jackson (Dem-35)
*
Darrell Steinberg (Dem-9)
*
John Longville (Dem-62)
*
Sally J. Lieber (Dem-22)
*
John Laird (Dem-27)
*
Lloyd Levine (Dem-40)
*
Cindy Montañez (Dem-39)
Opposed:
*
Tom Harman , Vice Chair (Rep-67)
*
Ken Maddox (Rep-68)
*
Patricia C. Bates (Rep-73)
###
Founded in 1998, Equality California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure the dignity, safety, equality and civil rights of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians. Equality California is one of the largest and fastest growing statewide LGBT organizations in the country. We can be contacted through our website at www.eqca.org.
http://www.eqca.org/press/releases/pr_042004_judic.shtml
Assembly Judiciary Committee Votes 8 to 3 in favor of EQCA’s Legislation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (April 20, 2004)
Contact: 415.581.0005 or email@eqca.org
SACRAMENTO – In an historic first, the California State Assembly Judiciary voted 8 to 3, along party lines, in favor of Equality California ’s groundbreaking Marriage License Non-Discrimination Act (AB 1967) by Assemblyman Mark Leno (D – San Francisco ).
This vote marks the first time in our nation's history that a state legislative body has voted in favor of issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.
“This is an incredible victory not only for California ’s lesbian and gay couples and their children but for all people who believe in equal rights,” said Geoffrey Kors, Equality California ’s Executive Director. “The Committee today voted to return California to the definition of marriage that existed before 1977, when the legislature changed it from a contract between ‘two people’ to a contract between ‘a man and a woman.' That law is the only remaining law in California enacted by this body that affirmatively discriminates against a protected group of Californian.”
While this is a very significant step toward ensuring that all California families are treated equally, it is only the first of many hurdles we will need to overcome to ensure victory. So we are calling on all equality-minded Californians to make their voices heard by logging on to EQCA’s advocacy center at www.eqca.org and sending a message to their elected officials in support of this historic bill.
The complete text of Kors testimony before the Judiciary committee is attached.
The legislation now moves on to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
The Vote:
In Favor:
*
Ellen M. Corbett , Chair (Dem-18)
*
Hannah-Beth Jackson (Dem-35)
*
Darrell Steinberg (Dem-9)
*
John Longville (Dem-62)
*
Sally J. Lieber (Dem-22)
*
John Laird (Dem-27)
*
Lloyd Levine (Dem-40)
*
Cindy Montañez (Dem-39)
Opposed:
*
Tom Harman , Vice Chair (Rep-67)
*
Ken Maddox (Rep-68)
*
Patricia C. Bates (Rep-73)
###
Founded in 1998, Equality California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure the dignity, safety, equality and civil rights of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians. Equality California is one of the largest and fastest growing statewide LGBT organizations in the country. We can be contacted through our website at www.eqca.org.
http://www.eqca.org/press/releases/pr_042004_judic.shtml