Schwarzenegger to veto gay ‘marriage’ bill

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Although California became the first state to give legislative approval to gay “marriage,” the state’s governor said at press time he will veto the measure, preferring for the courts to deal with it.

With a state Assembly vote Sept. 6, California became the first state in the nation to give legislative approval to full marriage rights for same-sex couples. But, late on Sept. 7, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office said he would veto the measure, despite his history of support for gay-rights causes.

The 41–35 vote in the state legislature’s lower chamber came six days after the bill passed the California Senate and only five years after the state’s voters effectively banned gay “marriage” through a popular referendum.

The bill, known as the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, would remove gender-specific references from the state codes defining marriage. The act also contains provisions explicitly stating that institutions or clergy would not be forced to perform marriages of which they do not approve.  (TAB)