From: Laftmc@aol.com Date: Thu, 1 May 1997 15:08:18 -0400 (EDT) Subject: CA ACTION ALERT: DEFEAT ANTI-MARRIAGE BILL - AB 800 FROM THE L.A. FREEDOM TO MARRY COALITION AND THE L.A. GAY & LESBIAN CENTER PLEASE DISTRIBUTE/FORWARD!!! URGENT ACTION ALERT! AB 800, THE ANTI-MARRIAGE BILL, WILL BE HEARD IN THE ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE; SB 911 FAILED TO PASS Assembly Bill 800, the identical twin of the deceased bill, SB 911, has been rescheduled to be heard in the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, May 7th, 1997. AB 800 (like SB 911) would prohibit California from recognizing same-gender marriages performed legally in other states (in anticipation of a favorable Hawai'i court decision). Deceptively entitled the "California Defense of Marriage Act," AB 800 would declare that California has a strong public policy of only recognizing marriages contracted between one man and one woman, whether it be within or outside the state, and that same-sex relationships shall not be entitled to the benefits of marriage under California law. Incidentally, SB 911 failed to pass in the State Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, April 22, 1997. After being amended to include various domestic partnership benefits, the revised bill only received two votes to pass (it needed 5 votes for passage). Please send letters of opposition (see sample letter below) or call the following legislators/committee members and urge them to OPPOSE AB 800. Letters and/or calls should go to: THE HONORABLE (NAME) CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA 95814 Assemblymember Martha Escutia (D - Huntington Park) Chair, Judiciary Committee Phone: 916-445-8188, Fax: 916-324-0012 Assemblymember Dion Aroner (D - Oakland) Phone: 916-445-7554; Fax: 916-445-6434 Assemblymember Louis Caldera (D - East Los Angeles) Phone: 916-445-4843; Fax: 916-443-6812 Assemblymember Dick Floyd (D - Carson) Phone: 916-445-3134; Fax: 916-322-0655 Assemblymember Fred Keeley (D - Santa Cruz) Phone: 916-445-8570; Fax: 916-445-1826 Assemblymember Tom McClintock (R - Granada Hills) Phone: 916-445-8366; Fax: 916-322-2005 Assemblymember Deborah Ortiz (D - Sacramento) Phone: 916-445-1611; Fax: 916-327-3338 Assemblymember Rod Pacheco (R - Riverside) Phone: 916-445-0854; Fax: 916-323-7179 Assemblymember Kevin Shelley (D - San Francisco) Phone: 916-445-8253; Fax: 916-324-4899 Short, handwritten letters are the most effective. For further information, call the Public Policy Dept. at 213-860-7350. Please fax or e-mail a copy of your letter to the Center: Fax: 213-860-7369, E-Mail: Laftmc@aol.com If you would like to be removed from the Center's E-Mail Action Alert Listing, please reply indicating in the subject and text area the following: "REMOVE E-MAIL ACTION ALERT" Thank you. ****************************************************************************** ******************** SAMPLE LETTER FORMAT (Sample Only! Please Use Your Own Words.) May ____, 1997 The Honorable (Assemblymember's Name) California State Assembly Sacramento, California 95814 Re: OPPOSITION TO ASSEMBLY BILL 800 Dear Assemblymember (LAST NAME): I am writing [insert examples: "as a concerned California resident," "as a life-long Republican (or Democrat)," "as a parent," "as a lesbian California voter," as a straight person who supports civil rights for all Californians, including gay and lesbian people," etc.] to urge you to oppose AB 800, the anti-marriage bill. This is a blatantly discriminatory and unconstitutional bill with which California should not be associated [or, insert a sentence that describes your primary objection to the bill, e.g., "This bill serves no purpose other than to stigmatize a group of Californians, singling out lesbian and gay Californians as second-class citizens," "The freedom to marry is a basic human right and a personal choice that should not be denied to anyone."] PLEASE OPPOSE AB 800. Thank you. Sincerely, SIGNATURE PRINT NAME HOME or BUSINESS ADDRESS (Be sure to include your address) Short, personal handwritten letters are the most effective.