Bill Text: CA ACR67 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Ballot measures.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 52-21-1)

Status: (Passed) 2015-09-10 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 171, Statutes of 2015. [ACR67 Detail]

Download: California-2015-ACR67-Chaptered.html

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BILL NUMBER: ACR 67	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER  171
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 10, 2015
	ADOPTED IN SENATE  AUGUST 31, 2015
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 22, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 22, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Mullin, Bonta, Chiu, Thurmond, and
Ting
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Low)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Eggman, Levine, Achadjian, Alejo,
Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Brown, Burke, Calderon,
Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Daly,
Dodd, Frazier, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez,
Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández,
Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Linder, Lopez,
Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Nazarian,
Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, Quirk, Rendon,
Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone,
Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, and Williams)

                        MAY 11, 2015

   Relative to ballot measures.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 67, Mullin. Ballot measures.
   This measure would provide that the Legislature stands in moral
and legal objection to the ballot measure proposing to enact the
Sodomite Suppression Act, and to any other ballot measure that seeks
to inflict harm on innocent persons or diminish current civil rights
protections. This measure also would provide that the Legislature
calls upon the residents of the State of California to reject bigotry
and hate speech.



   WHEREAS, The Legislature affirms the right of free speech, no
matter how abhorrent; and
   WHEREAS, The Legislature objects to and denounces the introduction
of a ballot measure that calls for violence, harm, and intimidation
to be caused to another person due to that person's sexual
orientation or gender identity; and
   WHEREAS, A proposed ballot measure, which would enact the Sodomite
Suppression Act, was submitted to the Attorney General for title and
summary on February 26, 2015; and
   WHEREAS, The Sodomite Suppression Act would require a person to be
put to death if he or she engages in specified conduct with another
person of the same gender; would make it a crime to distribute,
perform, or transmit "sodomistic propaganda," as defined; and would
prohibit a person from serving in any public office or in public
employment, or from enjoying any public benefit, if he or she is a
"sodomite," "espouses sodomistic propaganda," or "belongs to any
group that does;" and
   WHEREAS, Sexual orientation and gender identity, each a protected
class, are characteristics intrinsic to an individual, and the
proposed ballot measure seeks to inflict great bodily harm and to
intimidate individuals based on these innate characteristics; and
   WHEREAS, The Legislature finds it abhorrent and repulsive that a
citizen of this state would seek to introduce a ballot initiative
that calls for the execution and intimidation of another based on a
personal characteristic, which is inherent and unchangeable; and
   WHEREAS, The contents of the recently proposed ballot measure are
totally, completely, and wholly antithetical to the principles of a
civilized society for which this Legislature stands and upholds; and
   WHEREAS, The proposed ballot measure is reminiscent of actions
inflicted on innocent persons under various oppressive regimes
throughout history; and
   WHEREAS, The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)
community includes our colleagues, staff, daughters, sons, family,
friends, neighbors, and the constituents that we have the privilege
to serve; and
   WHEREAS, In 1978, Ronald Reagan joined California voters in
opposing the Briggs Initiative that would have banned gays and
lesbians, and possibly anyone who supported gay rights, from working
in California's public schools; and
   WHEREAS, The Legislature has an affirmative duty to prevent
injustices by protecting innocent people; and
   WHEREAS, Countless patriots have stood firm in the battle for
civil rights, most notably Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who famously
wrote that "  i]njustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere;" and
   WHEREAS, This proposed ballot measure goes beyond repealing civil
rights of the LGBT community, including the right to marry and the
right to adopt regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,
as it condones and legalizes murder, contrary to established
California law; and
   WHEREAS, The Legislature rejects any policy, including the policy
of affording businesses the right to discriminate against the LGBT
community and the policy supporting the repugnant practice of
so-called "reparative therapy," that seeks to punish individuals who
are innocent of any wrongdoing and simply for innate characteristics;
now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature stands in moral and legal
objection to the ballot measure proposing to enact the Sodomite
Suppression Act, and to any other ballot measure that seeks to
inflict harm on innocent persons or diminish current civil rights
protections; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon the residents of the
State of California to reject bigotry and hate speech; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.