Out of the 15 bills that make up the gay legislative agenda in the California Legislature, 10 of the bills have been directly or indirectly defeated.
“Public pressure from concerned citizens made the difference,” said Randy Thomasson, assistant director of Capitol Resource Institute. “California families oppose the state approving, elevating and promoting homosexuality, and most legislators heard them loud and clear.” Bills that were directly or indirectly defeated include: AB 53 (gay adoptions), AB 54 (domestic partners registry), AB 101 (promoting homosexuality in public schools), AB 427 (taxpayers-funded domestic partners), AB 492 (strengthening gay activists’ ability to sue), AB 499 (pro-homosexual “diversity” education), and SB 841 (requiring state contractors to provide domestic partners benefits).
The homosexual lobby, however, is very happy that three bills have passed the Assembly. AB 257 (Villaraigosa) and AB 310 (Kuehl) are companion bills that declare homosexuality to be an official “civil right” on the same level as race and sex, add “sexual orientation” to the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), force most businesses and property owners to hire and rent to homosexuals, and undermine the free speech of employers, supervisors and employees who disapprove of homosexuality. The Legislative Analyst describes FEHA as the “police power of the state.” Under AB 257 and AB 310, FEHA can launch a taxpayer-funded lawsuit against employers and property owners who disapprove of homosexuality. Religious bookstores and religious radio stations could be audited, and churches are in danger of being audited. The bills also allow $50,000 fines against businesspersons and supervisors who “harass” or “offend” homosexuals.
AB 257 and AB 310 were approved with the bare minimum of 41 votes and now go on to the state Senate. The Senate also approved two bills that are part of the gay legislative agenda — SB 48 (Solis) which greatly expands FEHA’s definition of harassment, and SB 1251 (Calderon) which lifts the cap on what FEHA can fine individuals. On a 42 to 35 vote, the Assembly also passed AB 1059 (Migden) which would force private insurance companies to award “dependent” status to primarily homosexual partners, on the same level as children or spouse. Fortunately, Gov. Wilson has pledged to veto the bill, saying through a spokesman that AB 1059 “is an effort to indirectly equate domestic partners to marriage.”
Assembly Republicans strongly opposed the gay legislative agenda, with all 37 Republicans opposing five out of the six bills which came up for floor votes. Even though four Republicans supported AB 1059 (Brewer, Cunneen, Firestone and Kuykendall), these four members quickly changed course and courageously opposed the remaining bills.
