Gay marriage bill defeated in early votes in California Assembly
Gay marriage bill defeated in early votes in California Assembly
SACRAMENTO (AP) - Lawmakers in California have narrowly defeated a bill that sought to legalize same-sex marriage.
Backers say it's not a dead issue and plan to bring it up again before the end of the week.
The vote in the Assembly early today was 37-to-35. The measure requires 41 votes to pass.
Same-sex marriage is legal only in Massachusetts, where the courts last year declared a ban unconstitutional. Advocates are hoping California will be the first state where the legislature endorses it.
The proposal would amend the state family code to define marriage as between "two persons" instead of between a man and a woman.
In the heated debate, Assemblyman Jay La Seur linked the proposal to "the destruction of the moral fiber of this nation."
Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, one of six gay California lawmakers, shot back, "Unless you are willing to look me in the face and say I'm not a human being just like you are, you have no right to deny me marriage."
©2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
http://www.wokr13.tv/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=47B1C5D4-395C-44F1-B9CA-5AD8DE9B0F34
SACRAMENTO (AP) - Lawmakers in California have narrowly defeated a bill that sought to legalize same-sex marriage.
Backers say it's not a dead issue and plan to bring it up again before the end of the week.
The vote in the Assembly early today was 37-to-35. The measure requires 41 votes to pass.
Same-sex marriage is legal only in Massachusetts, where the courts last year declared a ban unconstitutional. Advocates are hoping California will be the first state where the legislature endorses it.
The proposal would amend the state family code to define marriage as between "two persons" instead of between a man and a woman.
In the heated debate, Assemblyman Jay La Seur linked the proposal to "the destruction of the moral fiber of this nation."
Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, one of six gay California lawmakers, shot back, "Unless you are willing to look me in the face and say I'm not a human being just like you are, you have no right to deny me marriage."
©2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
http://www.wokr13.tv/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=47B1C5D4-395C-44F1-B9CA-5AD8DE9B0F34
posted by JimG at 9:40 AM
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