State

Schwarzenegger reveals he officiated two gay weddings while California governor

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who maintained a public position of opposing same-sex marriage, revealed in an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” on Sunday that he presided over two ceremonies of gay couples while in office.

Schwarzenegger, who was California’s governor from 2003 until early 2011, publicly opposed legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, twice vetoing legislation that would have done just that.

New California law ensures equal access to fertility services for same-sex couples

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Gov. Jerry Brown over the weekend signed a bill to ensure that women in same-sex relationships and single women can access fertility services on the same terms as women in different-sex relationships.

Assembly Bill 2356, authored by Assemblymember Nancy Skinner and co-sponsored by Equality California and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, allows women using known donors to access certain fertility procedures that are less expensive and more effective.

California governor vetoes bill to protect children with more than two parents

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Gov. Jerry Brown over the weekend vetoed a bill that would have protected children who have more than two parents.

In his veto message, Governor Brown explained that he was sympathetic to the need to protect children in these families but wanted more time to consider the issue. Authored by state Sen. Mark Leno, Senate Bill 1476 was co-sponsored by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Children’s Advocacy Institute and the University of San Diego School of Law.

CALIFORNIA BANS 'EX-GAY' THERAPY

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Gov. Jerry Brown made history late Saturday night by signing a landmark bill that will protect LGBT youth from psychological abuse by deceitful mental health professionals who falsely claim to be able to change their sexual orientation or gender expression.

California governor signs bill to provide more supportive homes to LGBT foster children

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A bill designed to make foster care safer and more supportive for LGBT was signed into law Thursday night by Governor Jerry Brown.

Assembly Bill 1856, authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano and co-sponsored by the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, will require existing training programs for foster youth caregivers to include information related to cultural competency and best practices for serving LGBT young people. The bill was approved by the Assembly by a 49-25 bipartisan vote, and the Senate by a vote of 23-13.

The new law will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2013.

Producer of inflammatory anti-Islam film arrested, ordered held without bail

Los Angeles -- Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the man allegedly behind the inflammatory film "Innocence of Muslims," was ordered held without bail Thursday after being arrested in California and accused of violating his probation.

Handcuffed and chained at the waist, Nakoula appeared in a federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday for a preliminary bail hearing.

1990s gay porn superstar Ryan Idol sentenced to 12 years in prison

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Famed 1990s gay porn superstar Ryan Idol, aka Marc Anthony Donais, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Wednesday for battering his ex-girlfriend in the head with a toilet tank lid.

Donais, who turned 46 while in prison, was convicted of attempted murder in the brutal attack at the woman’s home on Sept. 5, 2009. The woman and the adult film star, who identifies as bisexual although he performed in gay porn, had broken up before the domestic violence incident.

50,000 people urge California Gov. Brown to sign bill banning "ex-gay" therapy

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Momentum is building in California and across the country to put an end to dangerous efforts designed to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender expression that have proven to inflict great emotional harm and have resulted in suicide.

California Gov. Jerry Brown can sign Senate Bill 1172, a bill to protect young people from this abuse by prohibiting therapists from using these discredited practices.

To date, nearly 50,000 concerned citizens have signed a Human Rights Campaign petition urging the Governor to sign the bill.

Surfrider Foundation: Seismic testing off California coast will be devastating

(Editor's note: Since this story was published, PG&E has requested that the California Coastal Commission postpone the hearing on offshore seismic testing until the November meeting in Santa Monica. No other details are known at this time.)

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Surfrider Foundation vowed today to stop seismic testing slated to begin off the coast of Central California this November.

In San Francisco, Speaker Pérez joins all-star cast for reading of "8"

SAN FRANCISCO -- Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) will join Academy Award-winning writer Dustin Lance Black, Emmy Award-winning actress Holland Taylor and actor Luke Macfarlane at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco on Oct. 7 for a reading of Black’s stage drama “8” about California Proposition 8 and the case Perry v Schwarzenegger.

The reading will also feature California Shakespeare Theater artistic director Jonathan Moscone and LGBTQ activist Cleve Jones.

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