Late last night, a few hours after gays and lesbians from across the country marched in Washington D.C., California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law “Harvey Milk Day,”

Frontiers News Editor Karen Ocamb reports.


The law designates May 22 as “Harvey Milk Day,” but it will not be a state holiday, according to Ocamb.

Schwarzenegger also signed into law a gay marriage bill that recognizes out-of-state same sex marriages during the time that gay marriage was legal in California, which was only for a few months in 2008.

Ocamb reports that Equality California, one of the state's major gay rights organizations, and openly gay state senator Mark Leno played important roles in getting the bills signed by Schwarzenegger.

Equality California has come under scrutiny for its role in the unsuccessful “No on 8” campaign, and for moving forward with a Proposition 8 repeal effort in 2012 rather than 2010, but the group does have an impressive track record over the years in helping to pass gay rights legislation in this state.

Contact Patrick Range McDonald at pmcdonald@laweekly.com.

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