September 7th, 2005

Children, Youth, and Families call on Governor Schwarzenegger to sign the bill into law. In a historic vote, the California State Legislature passed openly gay assemblyman Mark Leno’s Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act. Last week the bill passed in the California state senate by 21 to 15. It then moved to the state assembly on Tuesday, September 6, where the bill required 41 votes to pass and passed by a vote of 41 to 35. With this vote, the California legislature is the first elected body to pass legislation recognizing the rights of same-sex couples and their children to marriage equality.

Adult COLAGEr Casey McChesney was present when on Tuesday evening when the bill finally passed. McChesney, who is the co-chair of the Sonoma County Chapter for Marriage Equality, described the experience as "like finding out you have been granted asylum. It legitimizes your whole life."

"COLAGE cheers the many children, youth, and families who called, emailed, wrote, and visited their state senators and assembly-members in support of the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act and applauds the California legislature for taking a principled stance on civil rights and equality for all children and families," said Beth Teper, Executive Director of COLAGE (Children Of Lesbians And Gays Everywhere), a national organization representing the millions of U.S. children (young and adult) who have one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender parents and families.

Now that the bill has passed, it faces one more hurdle in its journey to becoming law. That hurdle is Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The governor has three options: he can sign the bill into law, he can veto the bill, or he can do nothing – in which case, the bill would automatically become law after thirty days (on October 6th). Long-time youth activist Marina Gatto predicts that the governor will allow the bill to become to law. "I met with Assembly-member Salinas on Tuesday morning and asked him if he could look me in the face and tell me that my family deserved to be treated like second class citizens," recalls Gatto. Salinas went on to cast the deciding 41st vote needed for passage of the bill. The Gatto family has worked tirelessly for years to achieve marriage equality in California and nationwide, and they don’t plan to give Arnold one moment of peace until the bill’s fate is secure. "He should understand the importance of giving immigrants rights and protections that everyone deserves," says Gatto. Her parents, Ramona and Arzu Gatto, are a bi-national couple, and the family is under constant risk of separation due to discriminatory federal citizenship and immigration laws. Although California’s adoption of marriage equality would not affect federal immigration policy, it would at least give Marina – and thousands of other COLAGErs throughout the state – two legally married parents, with equal rights and responsibilities for her. As for the 1100 federal rights that remain unwon, Ramona Gatto is hopeful. "Equality won’t come in one big bundle," she says. "But, it will come."