Date: 06 Oct 2003 20:12:44 -0000
From: "Human Rights Campaign" <
[email protected]>
HRC is forwarding this press release on behalf of Equality California.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(October 6, 2003)
Contact EQCA: 415-581-0005
Schwarzenegger States Opposition to Domestic Partner Law as Governor Davis
Signs Groundbreaking Health Care Bill Covering LGBT Families
Schwarzenegger Opposition Comes as Republican Legislators Try to Repeal
LGBT Rights
SAN FRANCISCO - Arnold Schwarzenegger would not have signed Equality
California's Domestic Partner legislation that was recently signed into law
by Governor Davis, the San Francisco Chronicle reported yesterday. This
recent revelation lends encouragement to right-wing extremists who are
seeking to overturn the civil rights law both in court and at the ballot.
Schwarzenegger has not responded to repeated requests by Equality
California to publicly state his position on the proposed ballot referendum
that would prevent the law from being enacted.
"The recent civil rights gains of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
Californians are under serious attack," warned Geoffrey Kors, EQCA
Executive Director. "We are facing two lawsuits and two ballot measures
that would take rights away from families and deny LGBT Californians hard
won civil rights protections. We need a governor who will stand beside the
LGBT community and take a leadership role in opposing these efforts and
supporting our struggle for full equality. Schwarzenegger is clearly not
that candidate."
In contrast to Schwarzenegger's opposition to a law protecting LGBT
families, Governor Gray Davis just signed a health insurance act that will
provide access to health care for a million uninsured California workers
and their spouses or domestic partners. As a result of lobbying by Equality
California, the new law will require large employers to provide domestic
partners of their employees with health insurance, making California the
first state in the nation to do so.
"Governor Davis' support of this bill has resulted in the enactment of what
is without question one of the most important pieces of legislation ever
passed for same-sex couples and their children," Kors explained. "Governor
Davis has signed more LGBT civil rights legislation than any other governor
in history, at least some of which Schwarzenegger states he would not have
signed."
Assemblyman Mark Leno, Vice Chair of California's LGBT Legislative Caucus,
has been pressing Schwarzenegger to state his position on legislation since
he entered the race. "Arnold has finally answered my question and
California now has the answer: If Schwarzenegger is elected Governor, the
civil rights of LGBT Californians will be at risk."
Equality California, the statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
civil rights advocacy organization, is urging its members and supporters to
protect civil rights by voting No on the recall, Yes on Bustamante, and No
on Proposition 54.
"In this election, the radical right is going after people of color through
Proposition 54," stated Toni Broaddus, EQCA Program Director. "Next
election, the right is going after lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
people. As voters, we must say No to the constant barrage of attacks on
civil rights in California. And we must elect a governor who clearly
supports the civil rights of all Californians."
State Senator Pete Knight and Assemblymember Ray Haynes filed a ballot
referendum to overturn the new domestic partner law three days after it was
signed by Governor Davis in a jubilant ceremony in San Francisco. The
referendum has been cleared for signature gathering, and could come before
the voters as early as March 2004.
Equality California has formed a campaign committee, Equality for
California Families, to respond to this attack on California families who
already have less legal protections than other families. Over 70% of
California voters support legal rights for domestic partners.
Founded in 1998, Equality California (formerly CAPE) is a nonprofit,
nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose
mission is to ensure the dignity, safety, equality and civil rights of all
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians. Equality
California is one of the largest and fastest growing statewide LGBT
organizations in the country. We can be contacted through our website at
www.eqca.org.