California Senate passes marriage bypass bill
Susan Jones, www.CNSNews.com
June 5, 2007

A bill passed Monday by the California Senate would give unmarried heterosexual couples the same rights that married couples have.

Existing California law allows only same-sex couples file as domestic partners with the California Secretary of State. SB 11 would allow heterosexual couples 18 and older to do the same thing.

SB 11, which passed 22-13, respects the "freedom" of all "committed couples," whether they're straight or same-sex, said the bill's lesbian author, Sen. Carole Migden of San Francisco.

"There are over 4 million unmarried couples within the United States who for many different reasons choose not to get married," Migden said. "SB 11 is an equity measure recognizing the diversity of family structures and the needs of unmarried people, including people who choose not to marry, cannot marry, or live together before marriage."

But conservative critics view the bill as another attempt to undermine the entire institution of marriage.

"If SB 11 becomes the law, marriage will be functionally abolished," said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families (CCF), a conservative advocacy group.

"Awarding marriage rights to people who shack up but refuse to get married is completely ridiculous. Why get married if you can get all the legal rights and benefits of marriage without being committed?

(Under California law, there are practically no differences in the way registered domestic partners and married couples are treated.)

"This bad bill severely weakens the institution of marriage and will motivate unwed parents to remain uncommitted," Thomasson said. "We call upon Governor Schwarzenegger to veto this nonsensical bill that robs marriage of its uniqueness and honor. No one should get marriage rights unless they get married."

Not one Republican senator spoke against the bill during the floor session, CCF noted.

The bill allowing heterosexual couples to register as domestic partners now goes to the State Assembly. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has not taken a position on SB 11, but conservatives want him to veto it.

Another bill (AB 43) introduced in the California Assembly would create same-sex marriage licenses.

According to the Campaign for Children and Families, that's another reason for Californians to back a state constitutional amendment (VoteYesMarriage.com) protecting marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

In 2000, California voters approved a "Protection of Marriage" ballot initiative (Proposition 22) that specifically stated, "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

CCF noted that AB 43 violates the California Constitution, which specifically prohibits the Legislature from repealing voter-approved initiatives -- including Proposition 22.