Effort to stop gay marriage advances

Though gay marriage is actually still not legal in California, conservative family-values activists are now circulating petitions for a ballot measure that not only bans gay marriage, but seeks to eliminate most existing benefits for domestic partners.

The group was given permission by the Secretary of State's Office on Thursday to begin circulating petitions for signatures. They have to collect valid signatures from 694,354 registered voters by Nov. 13 to place the measure on the ballot.

The proposed constitutional amendment states "Only marriage between one man and one woman is valid or recognized in California, whether contracted in this state or elsewhere."

It also says the state cannot abolish marriage, nor cannot it force private entities, such as employers, to bestow the benefits of marriage on unmarried individuals.

The measure is co-written by Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families, and Larry Bowler, a former Republican Assemblyman from the Sacramento region. Link to their website here.

Meanwhile, the effort by Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, to legalize gay marriage here passed through the Assembly last week by a 42-34 margin and is now awaiting a committee hearing in the Senate. Link to Leno's bill, AB43, here.

Legislative officials estimate there are 100,000 same-sex couples in California, and about half are expected to marry if allowed by law. There are about 38,000 registered domestic partnerships, mostly between same-sex couples, in the state.