California
senate passes same-sex marriage bill

The California state senate approved a bill Friday that would allow same-sex couples to legally marry, making this the second time in two years that both houses of the California state legislature have passed a marriage equality bill, according to a press release from Equality California.

The 22-15 vote added three new senators to the pro-marriage column: Democrats Denise Moreno Ducheny, Alex Padilla, and Jack Scott. The state assembly passed the bill earlier this year, and it will now head to the governor's desk for consideration. California remains the only state in the nation where both of chambers have passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.

The release notes that a September 2006 poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found 47% of likely voters in California support marriage equality, while 46% oppose it. (The Advocate)