Subject: AB 53 ACTION ALERT / SB 911 PRESS RELEASE
From: "Ellen McCormick" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 1997 15:22:12 -0800

March 4, 1997
LIFE: California's Lesbian/Gay and AIDS Lobby
Contacts:
Ellen McCormick, Legislative Advocate
Laurie McBride, Executive Director
(916) 444-0424

ACTION ALERT: AB 53

AB 53 by Assembly Member Murray (D-Los Angeles) will be heard in the
Assembly Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 19, 1997.

THE BILL:
AB 53 would prohibit discrimination on the basis of marital status in state
adoptions.

HISTORY:
Current law is silent on "the best interest of the child" with regard to
marital status.  This silence is appropriate as marriage is not necessarily
an indicator of parental fitness.  Recently however, the Wilson
Administration put forward proposed changes to the state's adoption
regulations.  These regulations, though not yet adopted, will state that an
adoption by an unmarried couple is not in the best interest of the child. 
If accepted, this regulation change will result in lengthy litigation for
unmarried couples and a settling of those adoption cases in courts across
the state.  Thus, the social worker's purpose, to investigate possible
adoptions, make recommendations and placements, is nullified.  The social
worker would be required to recommend against unmarried couples attempting
to adopt based on arbitrary rationale.

AB 53 would preempt this misdirected regulation change before it can take
effect.  AB 53 would provide that unmarried couples may adopt, and that a
social worker may not advocate that an adoption by an unmarried couple is
against the best interest of the child based solely on the couple's marital
status.  AB 53 will allow unmarried, loving, fit parents: heterosexual, gay
and lesbian, to adopt children.  AB 53 recognizes that adoptions should be
based on the fitness of the parent, as judged by a social worker, not the
parent's marital status.

It is clear that acceptance of the Wilson Administration's proposed
regulation change would prevent, unilaterally, fit gay and lesbian parents
from adopting without going to court.  Without AB 53, social workers would
be required to recommend against adoption if the parents are unmarried even
if it is contrary to the best interests of the child.  

ACTION:
Please send letters urging passage of AB 53 to the Chair of the Assembly
Judiciary Committee:

The Honorable Martha Escutia 
Chair, Assembly Committee on Judiciary
California State Assembly
State Capitol, Room 3146
Sacramento, CA 95814

Also please send letters to your Assembly Member and Senator in support of
AB 53.

TIMELINE:
March 19: 		AB 53 Hearing in Assembly Judiciary Committee
March / April / May:	AB 53 to full Assembly Floor
July:			AB 53 to Senate Judiciary Committee 
			(Chair: Senator John Burton)
July / August:		AB 53 to full Senate floor
September:		AB 53 to Governor

Please call LIFE Lobby for further information about this, or any other
lesbian/gay or HIV-related legislation. (916) 444-0424

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February 26, 1997
For Immediate Release

Contacts:	
Ellen McCormick, Legislative Advocate 	
Laurie McBride, Executive Director
(916) 444-0424

RIGHT WING INTRODUCES 1997 ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE MANIFESTO IN CALIFORNIA

The long wait is over.  Today, Senator Pete Knight (R-Palmdale) and
Assembly Member Bob Margett (R-Arcadia) introduced SB 911 and AB 800
(respectively): the "California Defense of Marriage Act."  SB 911 and AB
800 are two identical measures which seek to prohibit California from
recognizing same gender marriages - should they ever be legalized - from
other states.  

The "California Defense of Marriage Act" goes much farther than prohibiting
recognition of same gender marriages, it adds into California law
"compelling interests (that) support the statutory recognition of marriage
only between one man and one woman."  Among such interests are:	
	"Social order... encouraged by fostering procreation and promoting the
optimal development of children within a marital setting..."
	"The institution of marriage... fortified and protected rather than being
further undermined and weakened by fundamentally redefining the
institution... to apply to any consenting... persons regardless of gender
or number."
	"The state's treasury... protected from the financial burden of providing
millions of dollars for spousal health care, retirement, and other...
benefits associated with state recognition of marriages other than between
one man and one woman."

The California Defense of Marriage Act further states that "A same sex
relationship shall not be entitled to the benefits of marriage under the
laws of this state."  This section could apply to benefits currently
received in certain cities and counties by "domestic partners."

"These bills will not get out of their first committees," said Laurie
McBride, Executive Director of LIFE: California's Lesbian/Gay and AIDS
Lobby, "I'm sure that is why they are so inflammatory - Knight knows he
can't get anywhere so he wrote the most offensive bill, he's really letting
his true colors show.  These measures are about hate, not good public
policy."

Both measures will go next to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and the
Assembly Committee on Judiciary, respectively.  Hearings are likely to be
held in April or early May.  LIFE Lobby encourages all members of the
lesbian, gay, and bisexual community and its allies to write to the
Judiciary committees and register opposition to these bills.

For copies of AB 800 or SB 911, please call the Legislative Bill Room at
(916) 445-2323 or visit the California home page at
<http://leginfo.public.ca.gov>.

Letters regarding AB 800 (Margett) should be addressed to: 	
The Honorable Martha Escutia
Chair, Assembly Judiciary Cmte.
State Capitol, Room 3132
Sacramento, CA 95814

Letters regarding SB 911 (Knight) should be addressed to:
The Honorable John Burton
Chair, Senate Judiciary Cmte.
State Capitol, Room 2205
Sacramento, CA 95814

Please send a copy of your letter to LIFE Lobby at the address below.

###

LIFE: California's Lesbian/Gay and AIDS Lobby has been lobbying on behalf
of California's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-affected
communities since 1986.  LIFE is the oldest and largest institution
representing these communities in California's State Capitol and is proud
to celebrate a decade of service.

LIFE: California's Lesbian/Gay and AIDS Lobby
926 J Street, Suite 522
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 444-0424, fax (916) 444-3059