In a major victory for gay-rights advocates, the California Senate approved legislation
on Sept. 1 that would legalize same-sex marriages throughout the state, the Associated Press reported. The 21-15 vote made the Senate the first legislative chamber in the
country to approve a gay marriage bill.
Equality California sponsored the historic measure, which is called the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act ( Assembly Bill 849 ) . The bill now heads for an assembly floor vote.
If the bill passes, California will become the first state legislature to pass equal marriage rights legislation for same-sex couples. According to an Equality California release, the Massachusetts supreme court ruled in favor of marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples; the legislature then outlined the implementation of this ruling but did not pass marriage-related legislation.
'Today represents another milestone toward the fulfillment of the American
dream for thousands of lesbian and gay couples in California,' stated
assembly member Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, one of the bill's authors. 'Society is strongest when it upholds the basic civil rights of all its citizens, including the right
to marry the person you love.'
The focus this week will be on the state Assembly, which will decide on whether to send the gay marriage bill to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the San Jose Mercury News noted. If it does, the action would exemplify the state's split approach to same-sex marriage. The assembly already defeated the same measure earlier this year; however, refusing to give up, Leno then amended it to a bill in the Senate.
Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has expressed support for domestic partnerships and has generally had a pro-gay rights record since taking office.