Calif. Senate Passes Gay Marriage Bill

[William769]

(Sacramento, California) The California Senate on Thursday became the first elected state body in the country to pass legislation to allow same-sex couples to marry.
Called the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, the bill would require local clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples but allow people opposed to gay marriage to refuse to conduct weddings.

The measure passed 21 to 15 - a majority larger than marriage advocates had expected..

The vote followed more than an hour of impassioned debate.

Now is the time to answer for ourselves, 'what is the right thing to do.?' For me, my higher power tells me, 'love one another'" said Senator Nell Soto. "That is embedded in my inspiration. Let us be judged as a group of tolerance and of hope. I urge your support for this bill. Love one another, not judge one another."

http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/09/090105calSenate.htm

[davidinalameda]

1. Calif. Senate Passes Gay Marriage Bill

http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/09/090105calSenate.htm

The California Senate on Thursday became the first elected state body in the country to pass legislation to allow same-sex couples to marry.
Called the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, the bill would require local clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples but allow people opposed to gay marriage to refuse to conduct weddings.

The measure passed 21 to 15 - a majority larger than marriage advocates had expected.

another link

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-090105gays_wr,0,1012820.story?coll=la-tot-promo&track=morenews

Handing gay rights advocates a major victory, the California Senate approved legislation Thursday that would legalize same-sex marriages in the nation's most populous state.

The 21-15 vote made the Senate the first legislative chamber in the country to approve a gay marriage bill. It sets the stage for a showdown in the state Assembly, which narrowly rejected a gay marriage bill in June.

"Equality is equality, period," said one of the bill's supporters, Sen. Liz Figueroa, D-Sunol. "When I leave this Legislature I want to be able to tell my grandchildren I stood up for dignity and rights for all.'

[whatever4]

2. HA!!

Alright!! hehehehe Take that BushCo

[Book Lover]

3. Some good news today

Thankfully...

[Biased Liberal Media]

4. Best news I've heard all day.

Probably will be the best news all day.

[bunkerbuster1]

5. probably the best news all month.

this isn't shaping up to be a good one.

[bertha katzenengel]

6. thanks, William

It's impossible to feel any joy over this at the moment, but thanks for letting us know

[William769]

7. With all the misery

I just wanted to try to shed a little good news today.

[bertha katzenengel]

11. and you did it, and i'm grateful

i just got an email from a friend (even though our politics are completely opposite and she is a fundy while i am an atheist, she will remain my friend). but she just sent me a joke and it was too much.

what is wrong with people, Will?

[wli]

8. About time! Excellent! n/t

[ck4829]

9. Great News

At least California is entering the 21st Century.

[Parkerfur]

10. GREAT NEWS !

This is such amazing news... I am so happy. Does this mean that other states in the US are going to need to honor marriages that occur in California? Just curious

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. Congrats to my gay and lesbian friends!

I'm so very happy for all of you! :hug::hug::hug:

[ToolTex]

13. Thank you for the great news William.

Just when I thought todays news could not get any worse, it got wonderful. So good to know there are some people in this country that don't think we should be bashed to death.

[skypilot]

14. With everything that's going on...

...and everything they should be dealing with right now, let's see if the Bush administration can muster enough energy and gall to make a stink about this.

[wellst0nev0ter]

15. How Long Will It Last

Before fundies vote on an initiative next year to ban gay marriages?

[FreeState]

17. It still has to pass the Assembly and be signed by Arnold N/T

[Der Blaue Engel]

16. While this is great news...

...please note:

The legislation now moves to the Assembly where it is in for a rough ride. A similar measure was defeated by four votes earlier this year when a quarter of the Democrats voted with Republicans to reject it.

It's not over yet.

[slackmaster]

18. Yup, not even close to over

Since the bill directly conflicts with existing state law, if it passes and Governator signs it, a trip to the SC is inevitable.

[Oeditpus Rex]

24. I call on California DUers

...to contact their Assembly member and urge them to vote for this bill. If you don't know who represents you in the Assembly, use this link: Find Your Assembly Member

You can track the bill's progress here: Bill Information. Click "Bill number" and enter "AB849" in the search window.

While you're at it, prod your Assembly member on SJR10, which was refused adoption on Tuesday and a motion to reconsider was made. The bill:

...would urge the California Congressional delegation to
work to repeal any provisions of the USA PATRIOT ACT that limit or
impinge on rights and liberties protected equally by the United
States Constitution and the California Constitution and to oppose any
pending and future federal legislation to the extent that it would
infringe on Americans' civil rights and liberties.
This measure would also resolve that the State of California will
ensure that no state resources are provided for any action that would
violate the United States Constitution and the California
Constitution, including specified actions.

Complete text here.

[More Than A Feeling]

19. Beautiful, a model for the rest of the country

[displacedtexan]

20. That's great! What about Washington state?

That decision is supposed to be this week, I think.

I included a link to a great GLBT blogger in tomorrow's Blog Box column (on the DU homepage).

[ruggerson]

21. Bush and the mentally ill fundamentalists bemoan the march of real Freedom

The asshole yaps about freedom so much and doesn't understand the first thing about human liberty. What is it, fuckface? Only Iraqis can have freedom? How would you like it if someone tried to fuck with YOUR marriage, Bush?

[slay]

22. All freedoms must be guaranteed to all people - this is great news!

Really great news - and god knows we could use some about now. :)

[leQ]

23. is there some reason it wasn't in MSM anywhere?

like the LATimes, or the chronicle in The City?

[Oeditpus Rex]

26. It was in the Chron

State senate OKs bill legalizing same-sex marriage

...as well as the LAT, WaPo and even on Faux's site.

[really annoyed]

25. Awesome!

First good news I have heard all day!

[sakabatou]

27. Woohoo!