Legal News

AG Brown tweaks wording in initiative to ban same-sex marriage

By Jason Siegel

California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown tweaked the wording of the summary of Prop. 8 to go before voters, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Supporters of the initiative, which proposes a state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, say it would prejudice voters.

The original language of Prop. 8 in the petitions to get it on the ballot said the measure amends the California Constitution to provide that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

The new wording is that it "Changes California Constitution to eliminate right of same-sex couples to marry. Provides that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Fiscal Impact: Over the next few years, potential revenue loss, mainly sales taxes, totaling in the several tens of millions of dollars, to state and local governments. In the long run, likely little fiscal impact to state and local governments."

Its title has also been changed to "Eliminates Right Of Same-Sex Couples To Marry Initiative Constitutional Amendment."

A spokesperson for the attorney general told the Times that new language was needed since the petition was circulated before the California Supreme Court's ruling undoing the same-sex marriage ban and the many marriages that came with it.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on July 29, 2008 (boomark / email).