Schwarzenegger Signs Two Historic Gay Rights Bills

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed two bills on Monday that add further positive momentum to the gay rights struggle. California’s top lawmaker signed a bill that to gives the state a day to celebrate fallen politician Harvey Milk and another recognizing the rights and benefits of legally married same-sex couples.

Schwarzenegger attached the following statement to the same-sex couple law: “As required by Proposition 8, California will not recognize such couples as ‘married.’ However, Senate Bill 54 will provide the same legal protections that would otherwise be available to couples that enter into civil unions or domestic partnerships out-of-state. In short, this measure honors the will of the People in enacting Proposition 8 while providing important protections to those unions legally entered into in other states.”

The announcement of his signature on the Milk bill is one that came as a surprise to many since Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar bill last year. His office declined to say what prompted the change in his position.

Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. According to the bill, Milk garnered his place in history as being the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in a major U.S. city. However, in 1978 he was assassinated by a disgruntled former supervisor.

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