Schwarzenegger Vetoes Gay Marriage

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed another gay marriage bill Friday, saying voters and the state Supreme Court, not lawmakers, should decide the issue. The Republican governor turned down a measure by Assemblyman Mark Leno that would have defined marriage as a union between two people, not just a man and a woman. Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar bill from Leno, a San Francisco Democrat, in 2005 and has said he would veto all such bills.

The California Supreme Court is likely to rule next year on whether the state's voter-approved ban on gay marriage violates the constitution.

Schwarzenegger said in his veto message that Californians "should not be discriminated against based upon their sexual orientation." He said he supports state laws that give domestic partners many of the rights and responsibilities of marriage.

Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California, a gay rights group, said the veto was "hypocrisy at its worst." "We find it shocking for the governor to say he opposes discrimination based on sexual orientation and then veto a bill that would have ended discrimination based on sexual orientation," Kors said.

After Vetoing Gay Marriage Bill Schwarzenegger Signs 4 Other LGBT Laws

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation that will require the Department of Education to monitor the way schools adhere to the state's anti-bias laws and specifically mandates the department to ensure the protection of LGBT students.

It was one of four new LGBT-positive bills signed by the governor after vetoing legislation that would have allowed gay and lesbian couples in the state to marry.

"Despite his veto of the marriage legislation, the six bills that were signed will improve the lives of millions of LGBT Californians and their families," said Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors.

Schwarzenegger also signed the Student Civil Rights Act and the Safe Place to Learn Act which protects students from harassment and bullying in public schools by making sure teachers and school administrators fully understand their responsibilities to protect youth. The measures are similar to legislation rejected last year by Schwarzenegger who at the time said it was vague and potentially confusing and was redundant because California's education code already prohibits discrimination in schools.

The governor also signed a bill that bans discrimination in government services based on sexual orientation and gender identity. And he signed legislation that provides safeguards to protect LGBT youth from abuse and mistreatment in California's Department of Juvenile Justice facilities.

While Equality California and other LGBT rights groups praised the governor for signing the schools measure they are planning demonstrations tonight across the state to show their anger at the marriage bill veto.

"While we are very pleased the governor signed the majority of EQCA's bills this year, we are extremely disappointed that he vetoed one of the most important bills the Legislature sent him," said Kors.