The influential ballot summary of the initiative to ban gay marriage in California has been rewritten, and opponents of Proposition 8 are calling the new version "good news."
The original ballot summary, written by the attorney general's office in 2007,
described the measure as amending the state constitution to "provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."
But the new version, rewritten after the state Supreme Court's legalization of gay marriage in May, says the measure would "eliminate right of same-sex couples to marry."
Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California, a gay-rights group, e-mailed supporters calling the change "good news."
"This summary accurately describes what the proposition will do," he wrote.
The new title and summary also says the measure would result in "potential revenue loss," likely from the cancellation of same-sex weddings. The original title-and-summary said the measure would have "no fiscal effect."
Here's the new title and summary:
ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY.
INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
Changes California Constitution to eliminate right of same-sex couples to marry. Provides that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.
Fiscal Impact: Over the next few years, potential revenue loss, mainly sales taxes, totaling in the several tens of millions of dollars, to state and local governments. In the long run, likely little fiscal impact to state and local governments.
Here's the old one:
LIMIT ON MARRIAGE. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Amends the California Constitution to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.
Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: The measure would have no fiscal effect on state or local governments. This is because there would be no change to the manner in which marriages are currently recognized by the state
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