Subject: CA ACTION ALERT: DEFEAT ANTI-MARRIAGE BILL - AB 800
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 1 May 1997 15:08:18 -0400 (EDT)

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:  [email-masked]

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.
******************************************************************************
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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.