CA LEGISLATORS SHOULD VOTE AGAIN ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY THIS WEEK

NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign
1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-3278
E-mail: hrc [at] hrc.org
http://www.hrc.org
_________________________________

For Immediate Release
Thursday, June 1, 2005

Contact: Steven Fisher
Phone: (202) 216-1547
Cell: (202) 431-7608

Contact: Jay Smith Brown
Phone: (202) 216-1580
Cell: (202) 716-1650

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATORS SHOULD VOTE AGAIN ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY THIS WEEK

"The fight to secure equal rights and responsibilities for all
California families will continue," said HRC President Joe Solmonese.

WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign made the following statement
today following the California Assembly vote on Assembly Bill 19, a
measure that would extend marriage to California's same-sex couples.
While the first vote was unsuccessful, several Assemblymembers have not
yet voted and the Assembly could bring the measure up for another vote
this week.

"The fight to secure equal rights and responsibilities for all
California families will continue," said HRC President Joe Solmonese.
"This measure has the broad support of a range of civil rights, labor
and religious groups. Californians understand that the strongest
families are those with strong protections. We applaud Assemblymembers
Leno and Nunez for their leadership on this meaningful and critical
measure and we encourage legislators to continue to fight for AB 19."

Sponsored by Equality California and authored by Assemblymember Mark
Leno, D-San Francisco, and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los
Angeles,
the bill passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee on April 26, 2005, by
a
6-3 vote, and by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 25 by a
13-5 vote. A broad range of groups support the bill, including the
California State Conference of the NAACP, the American Jewish Congress,
the United Church of Christ (Northern California/Nevada Conference),
the
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and over
200 additional organizations.

"From local ministries to community centers and virtually every major
civil rights organization in the state, AB 19 arrived to the floor with
strong and united support," said Geoffrey Kors, executive director of
Equality California, the statewide advocacy group for gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender rights. "Californians from across all
communities understand that it takes hard work to maintain a strong
relationship and raise a family. This legislation will make tens of
thousands of relationships stronger by providing critical legal
protections."

HRC and Equality California sent a joint mailing to the combined
membership of both organizations as part of a coordinated strategy to
engage gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied Californians to
contact their legislators about the importance of this bill. HRC
commends the leadership of Equality California on this historic vote
and
pledges its continued support to ensure that all California families
are
treated equally under the law.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay,
bisexual
and transgender political organization with members throughout the
country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and
educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest
and safe at home, at work and in the community.

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