Marriage amendment petition starts in California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Attorney General Bill Lockyer gave approval July 25 to a proposed marriage amendment petition but not before making changes to the title and issuing a summary of the amendment that has conservatives alleging bias.

Lockyer’s OK means that the group behind the amendment — VoteYesMarriage.com — can begin collecting signatures with the goal of placing it on the 2006 ballot. But the group said July 25 that it would first take Lockyer to court and challenge the “prejudicial” title and summary.

Lockyer’s amendment title reads: “Marriage. Elimination of Domestic Partnership Rights.” The title proposed by VoteYesMarriage.com reads: “The Voters’ Right to Protect Marriage Initiative.” Lockyer’s 100-word summary of the amendment also focuses on the fact that the amendment would roll back California’s domestic partnership law, which grants homosexual couples many of the legal benefits of marriage.

That law was expanded by the California Supreme Court Aug. 1 when the court ruled that same-sex domestic partners must be treated the same as married couples by private businesses. The 6-0 ruling dealt specifically with membership in a country club, although it apparently will impact a long list of other businesses, such as health clubs and banks.

VoteYesMarriage.com is concerned that by focusing less on “gay marriage” and more on the already existent domestic partnership law, Lockyer’s title and summary could make it more difficult to gather signatures in left-leaning California and even more difficult to pass the amendment if it makes it to the ballot. The title and summary will appear on the petitions.