Date: Sat, 6 Jan 1996 18:07:01 -0500 From: David O'Donnell [ Originally submitted by Doug.Case@sdsu.edu ] January 5, 1995 For Immediate Release Contact Laurie McBride, Executive Director LIFE Lobby & League California's Lesbian/Gay & AIDS Lobby & Institute 916/ 444--0424 CALIFORNIA GOP MOVES TO BAN SAME-SEX MARRIAGES Thursday, January 4, Assemblymember Pete Knight unveiled amendments to his bill, AB 1982, to prevent California from recognizing same-sex marriages legally performed in other states. Knight's bill is in reaction to the expected legalization of same-sex marriages in Hawaii in the next two years. Knight's bill has the backing of the Assembly Republican caucus, and already has 29 Republican co-sponsors. Knight's reasoning was simplistic and ill-considered: Traditional marriages are baby factories. Same-sex couples can't "produce offspring together, [so] they must view marriage as just a reservoir of economic perks." Expectedly, Knight stopped short of the logical conclusion: to mandate babies for marriage certificates, regardless of sexual orientation. Knight goes on to forecast economic doom and collapse if the State of California "were forced" to recognize that same-sex couples might love each other and wish to take on the same responsibilities for each other that hetero-couples expect. This despite all evidence to the contrary, including economic forecasts in Hawaii that same-sex marriages will add $4 billion to Hawaii's revenues over the next five years. Knight fails to mention that his bill, if enacted, will cost California taxpayers untold millions as gay and lesbian Californians will surely challenge such obvious discrimination. Current California law recognizes all marriages performed throughout the United States. Knight's bill would prohibit recognition of legal marriages of same-sex couples, regardless of where they are performed. Laurie McBride, Executive Director of LIFE: California's Lesbian/Gay and AIDS Lobby, said, "It's time to wake up and smell the coffee . . . government wants to step in and decide who you can and can't marry. Churches should choose, not the government. Some churches perform marriage ceremonies for same sex couples, some don't. But no government should be able to decide which is legally valid, and which isn't" "The responsibilities and benefits of marriage are the same, regardless of the gender or your spouse, regardless of the ethnicity or race of your spouse," McBride added. "At one time it was against the law for Filipinos, Chinese and Japanese workers to marry or own property. Just thirty years ago it was against the law for interracial couples to marry. Absurd laws then and now." AB 1982 must be stopped. Now. Or it could be years before the newest of absurd laws is purged from State law. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------- Additional information, via Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl's office: >From California: The spot bill on same-sex marriage that was introduced by Assemblymember Pete Knight has begun to move. Amendments to AB 1982 (Knight) were given to the newly Republican controlled Assembly Rules Committee, yesterday, January 4, 1996. The amendments read as follows: Section 1. Section 308 of the Family Code is amended to read: 308. Except as provided in Section 308.5, a marriage contracted outside this state that would be valid by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the marriage was contracted is valid in this state. Section 2. Section 308.5 is added to the Family code, to read: 308.5 A marriage contracted outside this state between individuals of the same gender is not valid in this state. This bill will be referred to the soon to be Republican controlled Assembly Judiciary Committee. At that point the amendments will be put accross the Assembly Desk and made public (about January 15). AB1982 (Knight) is likely to pass through the Republican Controlled committees of the Assembly. On the floor of the Assembly, AB 1982 (Knight) will need 41 votes to pass to the Senate. Currently the bill has 30 Republican authors. I doubt it will be hard for the Republicans to come up with the neccessary votes, though we need to do our best to stop it on the Assembly floor. However, our best hope is stopping the bill in the Democratic controlled Senate. I'm sure you will begin receiving action alerts on this issue soon. In the mean time, Californians should begin writing their Assemblymembers and State Senators and asking them to oppose this bill. If you don't know who your representatives are call the registrar of voters (listed in the government section of your phone directory) and they will be able to help you. Jennifer Richard Legislative Aide to Assemblymember Kuehl richarjl@assembly.ca.gov