California Senate Judiciary Committee Passes Measure Opposing Prop. 8

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate Resolution 7 (Leno) today, which would put the legislature on record as opposing Prop. 8 as an illegal revision to the California Constitution. Sponsored by Equality California and introduced by Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), the resolution calls for the invalidation of Prop. 8, which not only stripped same-sex couples of a equal protections after a slim majority vote but also usurped the legislature’s role in approving fundamental revisions to the state constitution. The measure passed in a 3 to 2 vote.

“This is the first time the initiative process has successfully been used to change the California Constitution to take away a fundamental freedom from a particular group, and with today’s vote, it’s clear that legislators have recognized the importance of weighing in when fundamental revisions to our state constitution are at stake,” said EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors. “We thank Sen. Leno for his continued leadership and dedication in advocating for SR 7. It’s critical that our legislature does everything in its power to help preserve the equal protections guaranteed to all Californians by the Constitution,”

“Proposition 8 undermines the fundamental right to equal protection guaranteed by the California Constitution,” said Senator Leno. “Overnight, the rights of thousands of tax-paying, law-abiding Californians were stripped from them by a simple majority vote, without a prior two-thirds vote by both houses of the legislature. Singling out same-sex couples in this way, and denying them the freedom to marry, hurts families and sets a dangerous precedent for our state.”

via Equality California