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Governor signs bill designating 'Harvey Milk' day
Harvey Milk poses in front of his camera shop in San Francisco in this Nov. 9, 1977 photo.
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Governor signs bill designating 'Harvey Milk' day
Governor signs bill designating 'Harvey Milk' day
After he refused to support similar legislation last year, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill Monday that designates May 22nd each year as a state day of recognition for slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk.
Last year, the governor said local governments, not the state, should honor Milk. He didn’t say why he signed the “Harvey Milk Day” bill this year.
In 1977, San Francisco voters elected Milk to the board of supervisors. He was the first openly gay man elected to public office in a major city. A year later, a disgruntled former supervisor assassinated Milk and Mayor George Moscone.
Associated Press: "Harvey Milk Day" will not be a formal state holiday, so government employees will not be given the day off. The bill instead calls for the day to be observed by public schools as a day of special significance. Teachers will be encouraged to conduct exercises recalling Milk's life and contributions to the state.
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The governor also signed a bill that gives same-sex couples married in other states or other countries full recognition under California law. The state won’t call them "married," unless they married before the passage of Proposition 8, the measure that outlawed same-sex marriages in California.
Gay rights groups hailed the new laws as “historic.” The Capitol Resource Institute, an organization that opposes gay marriage, called them “tragic news for California families.”
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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