Comments on: Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs 2 Pro-LGBT Bills

By: Jim Burroway

Jim Burroway — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:26:06 +0000

Headline fixed. Thanks.

By: werdna

werdna — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:29:30 +0000

Copy editing note: the governor’s name is misspelled in the headline.

Schwarzenegger also signed a third pro-LGBT bill: the LGBT Domestic Violence Programs Expansion bill, which expands access to state funds for LGBT-oriented domestic violence programs.

It should be noted that regarding the Equal ID Act and the LGBT Prisoner Safety Act, the vetoes do not mean Schwarzenegger is opposed to the substance of the bills. Rather, the governor’s position is that the protections provided by each bill are already in place and thus the bills would be redundant.

Finally, thanks to Timothy for your very clear explanation of how the out-of-state marriage bill will work. I was a bit perplexed about that, and the Schwarzenegger’s “signing message” only added to my confusion.

By: ----

---- — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:40:46 +0000

The hell with the “will of the People”; just like they took away marriage from us, so can they steal the rest of our protections. I can’t wait until the Boies-Olson trial happens.

By: Burr

Burr — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:27:34 +0000

It says he vetoed those other bills because they were unnecessary.. Are they really? It seems like they’re only unnecessary because that’s policy now under the current administration, but could be easily undone since it’s not in the books permanently.. Even if it were redundant or unnecessary I don’t see why he had to put his foot down there.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:04:39 +0000

Regan,

Schwarzenegger said that he vetoed the two previous bills because to do so would be unconstitutional and because a judge would put an immediate hold on it until the courts resolved the issue.

Interestingly, he was absolutely correct. The CA Supreme Court, in overturning the ban on gay marriage, specifically noted that the language of Prop 22 could not be overturned by the legislature – exactly as Schwarzenegger said. Same sex marriage would not have come one day sooner whether or not he signed.

Now I wish he had taken the symbolic route of signing the bills. But it would have been pure symbolism and nothing else.

By: Regan DuCasse

Regan DuCasse — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:41:08 +0000

Well why didn’t that DICKHEA*, sign the legislative bills that made marriage legal back in 2002, 2006?
He got those bills on his desk TWICE, and he vetoed them.
Now he signs this, when he allowed the previous bills to be vulnerable to a public majority vote?

What. An. A$$hole!

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:33:21 +0000

Please also note,

SB 54 does not (as might be deduced from the Governor’s comments) recognize all out of state marriages as domestic partnerships.

Rather, it treats them as though they were in-state marriages: i.e. it says that if they occurred before November 5, 2008, they will be marriages and if they are after that date, they will be domestic partnerships.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:21:00 +0000

A small reminder:

Since the passage of Proposition 8, this is the best our legislature and governor can do. We cannot – until we reverse Prop 8 – recognize marriage equality in the state. Were it possible to do so, our legislature, our governor, and our Supreme Court would do so.

Here’s a little twist:

Prior to the In Re Marriages decision, California was banned (by Prop 22) from recognizing out-of-state marriages with any status. When the Supreme Court legalized marriage, they threw out that language, which allowed the state to recognize out of state marriages.

When Prop 8 passed, it did not include language banning out-of-state recognition, so therefore this became something the leg/gov could enact.

By: Lindoro Almaviva

Lindoro Almaviva — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:06:06 +0000

Add my voice to those who are not wowed by civil (2nd class citizenship) unions, but I understand the significance; so thanks to the Governator and congrats to the people of CA.

By: GreenEyedLilo

GreenEyedLilo — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:55:20 +0000

I agree with Penguinsaur, but I think it’s okay as a Bandaid. I hope that better is to follow. When the Christianists understand what happened, they will be *pissed*. So, thanks for the moment, Governator.

*takes deep breath*