California Readers: Your Help Needed Today on Same-Sex Marriage Bill
By Meredith Richey

Please act on this and send this article on to your friends in California.

A bill to legalize same-sex marriage in California failed in the state Assembly Wednesday by 37 to 35. Then, gay marriage backers used a parliamentary procedure maneuver to bring the bill to a vote again on Thursday. The bill didn't fare any better on its second go round.

However, with the aggressive tenacity and legal maneuvering that has marked the same-sex marriage battle across the nation, the bill's lead author Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, said the backers will take one more shot at having the bill voted on today. 

Leno and his special interest group will not accept defeat.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, supporters hope "it would be the first time a legislative chamber in the United States voted voluntarily to put same-sex couples on equal legal footing with heterosexuals. It took a court order for Massachusetts last year to become the first state in the country to allow gays and lesbians to marry."

Your calls are needed today to tell the ones who have voted NO and the ones who have ABSTAINED (counts like a NO), to dig in their heals and NOT CHANGE THEIR POSITION. If 6 of those votes change to a yes, then "gay marriage" will pass in the Assembly. The gay lobby is bombarding the Assembly members with calls. Don't give up!! The Assembly members' office staff  keep a tally of which way you are telling them to vote. If you want to read an article that gives you more information this is a good recent one, click on this link here: Please call the list below and encourage them to NOT CHANGE THEIR POSITION

13 DEMOCRAT ASSEMBLYMEMBERS WHO OPPOSED OR ABSTAINED ON AB 19

Juan Arambula (Democrat: Fresno)
VOTED NO
Fresno, Dinuba, Reedley, Selma, Sanger
916-319-2031 capitol office
Assemblymember.Arambula@assembly.ca.gov

Barbara Matthews (Democrat: Stockton)
VOTED NO
Stockton, Tracy, Merced, Atwater, Lathrop
916-319-2017 capitol office
Staff:Cathleen.Galgiani@asm.ca.gov
Joe Baca, Jr. (Democrat: San Bernardino)
VOTED NO
San Bernardino, Rialto, Fontana, Colton
916-319-2062 capitol office
Assemblymember.Baca@assembly.ca.gov

Gloria Negrete McLeod (Democrat:
Ontario)
ABSTAINED
Ontario, Pomona, Chino, Montclair
916-319-2061 capitol office
Assemblymember.Mcleod@assembly.ca.gov

Rudy Bermudez (Democrat: Norwalk)
ABSTAINED
Artesia, Buena Park, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Norwalk, Santa
Fe Springs, Whittier
916-319-2056 capitol office
Assemblymember.Bermudez@assembly.ca.gov

Nicole Parra (Democrat: Bakersfield)
VOTED NO
Bakersfield, Shafter, Hanford, Kingsburg
916-319-2030 capitol office
Assemblymember.Parra@assembly.ca.gov

Ed Chavez (Democrat: La Puente)
ABSTAINED
Azusa, Covina, W. Covina, La Puente
916-319-2057 capitol office
Assemblymember.Chavez@assembly.ca.gov

Simon Salinas (Democrat: Salinas)
ABSTAINED
Monterey and San Benito counties
916-319-2028 capitol office
Assemblymember.Salinas@assembly.ca.gov

Mike Gordon (Democrat: El Segundo)
NOT VOTING (ABSENT DUE TO ILLNESS)
El Segundo, Venice, Torrance, Beach Cities
916-319-2053 capitol office
Assemblymember.Gordon@assembly.ca.gov

Alberto Torrico (Democrat: Newark)
ABSTAINED
Newark, Fremont, Union City, Milpitas
916-319-2020 capitol office
Assemblymember.Torrico@assembly.ca.gov

Jerome Horton (Democrat: Inglewood)
ABSTAINED
Gardena, Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale
916-319-2051 capitol office
Assemblymember.Jerome.Horton@assembly.ca.gov

Tom Umberg (Democrat: Santa Ana)
ABSTAINED
Santa Ana, Anaheim, Garden Grove
916-319-2069 capitol office
Assemblymember.Umberg@assembly.ca.gov

Juan Vargas (Democrat: Chula Vista)
VOTED NO
San Diego and Imperial counties
916-319-2079 capitol office
Staff: George.Jordan@asm.ca.gov

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