Arnold Vetoes Gay Marriage Bill, Signs Others

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed AB 849 (California's gay marriage bill) today.

Arnold also signed 4 pro-gay rights pieces of legislation into law while he vetoed "the big enchilada." He enacted AB 1400 (sexual orientation and marital status categories added to the Unruh Civil Rights Act), AB 1586 (antidiscrimination based on gender and gender identity in health insurance plans), SB 973 (allows public employees who retired before January 1 2005 to receive death benefits available to them under the state's comprehensive domestic partnership bill) and SB 565 (insures domestic partners are treated the same as spouses under California property tax law). He had previously vetoed AB 866 (which included sexual orientation in the categories that those who sign the voluntary pledge provided for in the Code of Fair Campaign Practices could not use negative appeals).

The LGBT community in Los Angeles is planning a rally to protest the Governor's actions on Friday Sept 30 at 7pm in Hollywood, starting at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center and walking to Arnold's star on Hollywood Boulevard.

Arnold also signed Assemblymember Dymally's bill AB 1142, which attempts to set up a statewide response to the HIV/AIDS crisis among African Americans. It's a confusing bill but it will be interesting to follow it now that it has been enacted into law.