Gender-neutral marriage bill heads to Senate floor
KTVU Bay City News
August 25, 2005

SACRAMENTO -- A bill that would make California's family code gender neutral in its description of marriage passed a state Senate committee today.

The bill, AB 849, authored by Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, passed the Appropriations Committee by a vote of 7-6, an aide to Leno reported today. It may hit the Senate floor as early as Tuesday. "We believe we have the necessary 21 votes there," Leno said.

The bill would amend the language in the California Family Code to exclude gender specifications. Currently, sections 300, 301 and 302 define marriage as between a man and a woman. If passed, Leno's bill would amend that language to define marriage as between two people.

First introduced as AB 19, the bill initially failed to pass the Assembly by three votes in June. Leno's office used a legislative technique to keep the bill afloat, amending another bill headed for the Senate. Now that it has passed committee, the bill must pass the full Senate, then return to the Assembly where it must pick up another three votes.

The bill has garnered official support from the city of Los Angeles, the United Farm Workers, and the United Church of Christ, said Leno. Pointing out that Canada and Spain recently legalized gay marriage, Leno said, "Clearly, we are on the lip of an international civil rights movement."

Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families, opposes the bill. "A man and a woman are designed to fit together," he said. "Check out the equipment. It's physiologically true."

Groups including the Campaign for Children and Families are calling on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to veto the bill if it reaches him. "If the governor stays silent and does not brandish his veto pen, then this bill will land on his desk and become his worst nightmare," Thomasson said.