Same-sex marriage bill defeated in California Assembly News
Same-sex marriage bill defeated in California Assembly

[JURIST] A bill to legalize same-sex marriage [JURIST news archive] in California was narrowly defeated early Thursday by a 37-35 vote in the the 80-member California State Assembly [official website]. The vote came on the heels of state appeal [JURIST report] Tuesday of an earlier judicial ruling that the state's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional [JURIST report]. Supporters of the bill have at least one more chance to get it reconsidered by the Assembly this week. Observers say it could have an easier time in the state Senate, where Democrats hold a 25-15 edge, It's not entirely clear what California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would do if the bill came to his desk, but he has said in the past that voters or the courts, rather than lawmakers, should decide the same-sex marriage issue. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

South Africa becomes first country on continent to legalize same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages became legal in South Africa on November 30, 2006 as the country's Civil Union Act, 2006 went into effect, making South Africa the only country on the African continent to legalize same-sex marriage. Read the Civil Union Act, 2006.