Gays no longer on par with child molesters in (Calif.) state code

[Newsjock]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

We told you awhile back about Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal's bill to change state code so it no longer equates homosexuality and child molestation. The Assembly approved the measure unanimously in April, and now gay rights advocates are happy to report that the Senate did the same thing this week.

The measure, AB2199, strikes a 20-year-old line of state code that directed the Department of Mental Health to conduct research into "the causes and cures of sexual deviation" including "the causes and cures of homosexuality."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=70779&tsp=1

---

Monday's Senate vote was 36-0, with three senators not voting:
http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_2151-2200/ab_2199_vote_20100823_0350PM_sen_floor.html

[xchrom]

1. Recommend - shocking ain't it. Nt

[palotin]

14. I'm surprised

That the California GOP let this go through. They have the votes to stop it, and with one or two libertarian exceptions are all Christian Rightists.

[Robb]

2. I can't decide which is more appalling

...that it took 20 years before someone said this needed fixing, or that it was only 20 year-old language in the first place.

For crying out loud. 20 years ago was only 1990. (facepalm)

[valerief]

self-delete

:banghead:

[valerief]

4. self-delete

:banghead:

[valerief]

5. Yes, but Jeebus is forever, and that's why it got there in the first place.

:banghead:

[tomm2thumbs]

7. bears repeating (head slams that is)

[awoke_in_2003]

6. By 1990...

the religious right had strongly infiltrated most public offices.

[HillWilliam]

10. And the crying shame is, in going on 2011

the sunsabitches are still there. Worse, they've crawled into dark corners, rubbed their nasty little feet together, and multiplied.

[awoke_in_2003]

12. man will truly be free...

when the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.

[slackmaster]

3. Explanation in the article is clear as mud. Here's the old and new text of the code.

From the California Welfare and Institutions Code. The bill number is AB 2199.

OLD VERSION:

8050. The State Department of Mental Health, acting through the
superintendent of the Langley Porter Clinic, shall plan, conduct, and
cause to be conducted scientific research into the causes and cures
of sexual deviation, including deviations conducive to sex crimes
against children, and the causes and cures of homosexuality, and into
methods of identifying potential sex offenders.

LATEST AMENDED VERSION:

8050. The State Department of Mental Health shall plan, conduct,
and cause to be conducted scientific research into sex crimes against
children and into methods of identifying those who commit sexual
offenses.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/

[alp227]

8. That's nice. But what about the budget?

In the news lately I've heard about the state legislature doing everything short of passing the budget as the state is going to hand out IOUs and close everything down. Not that I condone the state considering homosexuality a sexual offense, but I wish that the state would manage its money better. Examples besides this one of bills passed by the state assembly:
- AB1601: "...authored by state Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, authorizes judges to revoke a license for 10 years for people with three or more driving under the influence convictions in a 10-year period." San Mateo Daily Journal from today)
- AB2055: "to ensure that same-sex couples in California have access to unemployment benefits" (San Diego Gay & Lesbian News from today)
- SB1411: "makes it illegal to impersonate someone else online." (Ars Technica from today)

But regardless, that old law that pretty much repeated the Christian fundamentalist claim "gay=pervert" is disgusting in this scientifically enlightened era.

[LiberalFighter]

9. They need a study of the causes and cures of Republicans.

[cyr330]

11. Well, gosh, that's a relief!

Now that I'm not equated with someone who fucks little boys and/or little girls-- jesus christ!

[TheMadMonk]

13. I'm sure the sentiment is mutual amongst the good republican kiddie fiddlers. nt

[BlueIris]

15. Well, that's something...I guess.

Wake me when the Democratic Party publicly supports marriage equality.