Reps. Takano, Garcia, lead California Delegation Letter Expressing Support for the Repeal of Proposition 8 Language from the California Constitution
RIVERSIDE, CA – Today, Representatives Mark Takano (D-CA-39) and Robert Garcia (D-CA-42) led California Congressional Delegation members in a letter to the Governor of California and California legislature expressing support for the repeal of Proposition 8 language from the California State Constitution. They were joined by Reps. Pete Aguilar, Nanette Barragán, Ami Bera, Julia Brownley, Salud Carbajal, Tony Cárdenas, Judy Chu, Mark DeSaulnier, Anna Eshoo, John Garamendi, Jimmy Gomez, Jared Huffman, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Ro Khanna, Barbara Lee, Mike Levin, Ted Lieu, Zoe Lofgren, Doris Matsu, Kevin Mullin, Grace Napolitano, Jimmy Panetta, Nancy Pelosi, Scott Peters, Katie Porter, Dr. Raul Ruiz, Linda Sánchez, Adam Schiff, Brad Sherman, Eric Swalwell, Mike Thompson, Norma Torres, and Juan Vargas.
Introduced in February, Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5 (ACA 5) proposes an amendment that would repeal Proposition 8 and make same-sex marriage a basic right in California. Passed in 2008, Proposition 8 added language to the State Constitution that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California,” wording which remains today.
“I am thrilled to see California making strides towards enshrining marriage equality in our Constitution,” said Congressman Mark Takano. “Especially in a moment when many politicians are trying to turn back the clock on LGBTQI+ rights, I am proud that my home state is making it clear that everyone is welcome here. No matter what your family looks like, we will defend your fundamental rights – and I hope that the rest of the country takes note.”
“As the first LGBTQ+ immigrant in Congress, I know firsthand how important it is to protect our LGBTQ+ community’s right to marriage. Love should never be defined by politicians. I urge the state legislature to listen to the will of the people and move forward with this effort to strike Proposition 8 as we work towards building a more inclusive and equitable society. President Biden led our nation forward to strike down homophobic, outdated laws by passing the Respect for Marriage Act. It is time for California to step up,” said Congressman Robert Garcia.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges has protected the right for same-sex couples to marry in the United States since 2015, but the rollback of fundamental rights to privacy following the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision has made the protection of marriage equality a critical priority. Enacting ACA 5 and removing Proposition 8 language takes a crucial step towards making California a safe place for LGBTQ Americans to thrive.