City Resolution supporting AB 205 in CA
RESOLUTION NO. NS-26,108
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY BILL 205 AND URGING THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO EXPAND
CIVIL MARRIAGE LAWS TO BE INCLUSIVE REGARDLESS OF
SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER
WHEREAS, Santa Cruz has by local policy and ordinance shown its commitment to fair and equitable treatment of all persons regardless of gender or sexual orientation; and
WHEREAS, there has long been community concern over the inability of all couples to enjoy the full benefits of legal marriage under existing state law; and
WHEREAS, California, including the City of Santa Cruz in particular, is home to hundreds of thousands of families headed by same-sex couples, many with children; and
WHEREAS, these families deserve the same rights and legal protections as other families under the law, including the protection of their spousal rights and privileges and protection of their children’s economic interests by insuring their access to the resources of both parents; and
WHEREAS, marriage is a unique civil contract, separate and distinct from any religious, ethnic, or other traditions; and
WHEREAS, civil marriage ensures state and federal rights, protections, and responsibilities that are otherwise unavailable to gay and lesbian families; and
WHEREAS, no resident of our city should be refused equal protection under the law, and suffering the inability to access these legal protections results in significant harm to these families, including financial insecurity, lack of retirement and death benefits, and lack of access to family court for dissolutions; and
WHEREAS, discriminatory marriage laws result, especially, in significant harm to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people by perpetuating homophobia, just as anti-miscegenation laws barring people of different races from marrying, legal in the United States until 1967, perpetuated racism and social ostracism; and
WHEREAS, discriminatory marriage laws undermine the state of California’s commitment to equality, privacy, and justice for all of its citizens, as well as undermining marriage itself; and
WHEREAS, marriage is a fundamental right of individual liberty; and
WHEREAS, the opportunity to publicly and legally commit to share one’s life with a person of one’s choice is for many people one of the most central aspects of human experience, and denial of marriage to couples is a denial of fundamental civil rights.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ THAT:
1. The City Council urges the California State Legislature and Governor Gray Davis to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people and their families by amending the California Family Code to remove references to sex and gender as eligibility requirements for a civil marriage license and by enacting a law providing for equal access to marriage and all of its legal benefits and obligations by all persons, regardless of sex, gender identity, gender characteristics, gender expression, or sexual orientation, and urges the California State Legislature to pass, and Governor Gray Davis to sign, Assembly Bill 205.
2. The Mayor is authorized to forward this resolution to Governor Gray Davis, State Senator Bruce McPherson and Assemblymember John Laird.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 11th day of February, 2003, by the following vote:
AYES: Vice Mayor Kennedy, Councilmembers Fitzmaurice, Rotkin, Mathews, Primack, Porter; Mayor Reilly.
