The California Legislature passed a gender-neutral marriage bill on Friday and sent it to Governor Schwarzenegger.

The bill, AB43, is the third effort by Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, to pass what he has termed a "gender-neutral marriage" bill. The act would amend California's Family Code to define marriage as a civil contract between two persons.

"Marriage is more than just a civil contract ... it is different from domestic partners, it's just different from civil unions - it means something," said state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica, who presented the bill and was also the first openly gay person to be elected to the Legislature. "And because it means something, that's why it's been denied to us."

(Psssst, Freddie Thompson: you need to update your stump speech on marriage equality.) Freddie blames the gay marriage on activist judges:

"No states have affirmatively approved gay marriage. There's been no state legislature in the nation that has done that and not likely too…If some state wants to come along through their legislature and do something different let them answer to their own people and I got a feeling they won't be in the legislature that much longer."

Sorry, Freddie, this is the California Legislature's second bite at the marriage apple. Here's what Arnold had to say in 2005 when the marriage equality bill last landed on his desk:

Schwarzenegger on Wednesday said the legislation, given final approval Tuesday by lawmakers, would conflict with the intent of voters when they approved a ballot initiative five years ago. Proposition 22 prevents California from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states or countries.

"We cannot have a system where the people vote and the Legislature derails that vote," the governor's press secretary, Margita Thompson, said in a statement. "Out of respect for the will of the people, the governor will veto (the bill)."

Got that? California voters enacted an initiative, Prop22, in 2000, to ban the state from recognizing marriages performed in other states or countries.

A September 2006 poll by the Public Policy Institute of California showed that 47 percent of likely voters in California support marriage for same-sex couples, while 46 percent oppose.

And Arnold plans to hide behind an unrelated, seven-year old ballot referendum, as he did two years ago, to justify thwarting the will of the people expressed through their elected representatives last week.

For Assemblyman Mark Leno’s (D-San Francisco), the bill's author, and for LGBT rights groups it is deja vu.

“Two consecutive legislatures have now boldly and proudly affirmed the full, first class, and equal citizenship of all of Californians in loving and committed relationship who want their bond recognized and honored by the state in which they live and to which they contribute,” said Leno (D-San Francisco).

“My Senate colleagues recognized what an ever increasing number of fair-minded Californians also see - that marriage strengthens our society and singling same sex couples out of this important institution hurts us all,” he said.

We don't undertake direct-action alerts very often here at Sunday Late Nite. Arnold has until October 14th to sign or veto this bill -- please tell him: SIGN AB43, ARNOLD!

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633

Email form here

ACLU email form here

Many, many thanks from me, from my fiance (we've been engaged since February 13th, 2004 -- and we're still waiting!) and from good-hearted, equality-minded Californians everywhere. We are one autograph away from the largest state in the union mandating gender-neutral marriage.

Never doubt. More here.
(gay marriage video by Scott Nolan)