BTL Staff
Art by Damien Salas
SACRAMENTO, CA – Governor Jerry Brow has signed legislation replacing the language in California state law that defines marriage as "between a man and a woman."
The new order will take effect Jan. 1, 2015, reflecting the legality of same-sex marriage removing limits on recognizing same-sex marriages performed out of the state. SB1306 will also replace references to husband and wife with the word spouse in the family code.
"This legislation removes outdated and biased language from state codes and recognizes all married spouses equally, regardless of their gender," Leno said Monday about securing Brown's signature on the bill.
State Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) authored the bill to redefine marriage. Proposition 8, California's constitutional amendment, aimed at defining marriage as between one man and one woman, passed the state ballot initiative in 2008. But Prop 8 was subject to lengthy court battles and ultimately ruled unconstitutional by a 2013 Supreme Court Decision. Leno says his bill recognizes all married couples equally.
Equality California co-sponsored Leno's Bill and the group's executive director echoed the importance of erasing "discrimination from the books."
