Harvey Milk Day Passes Calif.

The California legislature passed a bill on Thursday to honor Harvey Milk, the gay rights leader who was assassinated in 1978, with a day of recognition as opponents of the symbolic measure appealed to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to veto the legislation for the second year in a row.

The contentious bill, authored by openly gay state senator Mark Leno of San Francisco, also passed the legislature last year, but the governor rejected it with the claim that Milk held only local significance.

According to the Los Angeles Times, “Conservatives are pushing hard for Schwarzenegger to veto Leno's legislation, which would proclaim Milk's May 22 birthday a day of recognition and encourage schools to consider commemorating his life.”

Since last year, Milk has been the subject of an Academy Award–winning film, and the governor recently announced that he would be inducted into the California Hall of Fame.A decision on the proposal to honor Milk annually on his birthday is expected soon from Schwarzenegger.