State Senate panel OKs measure opposing Prop. 8

02/25/09 SF Chronicle :

The California Senate Judiciary Committee passed SR 7, a resolution declaring the state legisature's view that Prop. 8 represents an unconstitutional revision. "This is much bigger than marriage equality," Senator Mark Leno (D. San Franciso) said yesterday. "You don't put rights up to a majority vote or every minority group will be in danger."

02/24/09 Capital Resource Institute:

Karen England, executive director of Capitol Resource Family Impact, testified before the Committee with an unnamed Pacific Justice Institute attorney.

“This is another slap in the face of millions of California citizens,” stated Karen England, executive director of Capitol Resource Family Impact. “The legislature completely disregards the will of the people by calling on the state supreme court to overturn Proposition 8.” England testified against SR 7 in the committee hearing this afternoon. “As I shared with the committee members, Proposition 8 is a valid amendment to the state constitution. To ignore the overwhelming support of citizens for traditional marriage proves just how out of touch lawmakers are with average citizens.”

This Institute update also alleges that, in closing remarks to the Committee, "Senator Leno likened voters for Proposition 8 to Germans who supported the Nazi regime prior to World War II." England claims that "Senator Leno should apologize to the millions of voters who supported Proposition 8."

The Institute has also posted its "HR 5 and SR 7 Talking Points."