As if there wasn't enough to deal with already...
There are now 3 initiatives that would prohibit same-gender marriage that have been approved for circulation by the Attorney General's office. All three of the initiatives would amend California's Constitution. All three of the initiatives would invalidate our domestic partnerships. This is a very serious threat to all of the advances in equality we've made here in California.
The people behind these vile initiatives are now collecting signatures. If they get enough signatures, these initiatives will appear on the ballot before California's voters next year. In order to appear on a statewide ballot, 600,000 valid signatures must be qualified by the Secretary of State's office at least 131 days prior to Election Day. That means any ballot initiative placed on the June 6, 2006 ballot must be qualified by the Secretary of State around January 26, 2006.
The text from the Title and Summary for all three initiatives appears below:
July 25, 2005
SA2005RF0077 Amdt. #2-NS
MARRIAGE. ELIMINATION OF DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP RIGHTS. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Amends the California Constitution to provide that only marriage between one man and one woman is valid or recognized in California, whether contracted in this state or elsewhere. Voids and restricts registered domestic partner rights and obligations, for certain same-sex and heterosexual couples, in areas such as: ownership and transfer of property, inheritance, adoption, medical decisions, child custody and child support, health and death benefits, insurance benefits, hospital visitation, employment benefits, and recovery for wrongful death and other tort remedies. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Unknown, but probably not significant, fiscal effect on state and local governments. The impact would depend in large part on future court interpretations.
July 27, 2005
SA2005RF0082
MARRIAGE. INVALIDATION OF DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Amends the California Constitution to provide that a marriage between a man and a woman is the only legal union that shall be valid or recognized in California. Amendment bars domestic partnerships from being valid or recognized as legal unions in California. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal imapct on state and local governments: Unknown, but probably not significant, fiscal effect on state and local governments. The impact would depend in large part on future court interpretations.
July 27, 2005
SA2005RF0083
MARRIAGE. EXCLUSIVE LEGAL STATUS FOR MARRIED SPOUSES. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Amends the California Constitution to provide that only a man and a woman in a lawful marriage shall have the legal status of married spouses in California. Makes same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Unknown, but probably not significant, fiscal effect on state and local governments. The impact would depend in large part on future court interpretations.