California Passes Bill to Legalize Same-sex Marriage

JURIST by way of  AP is reporting that the California Assembly has narrowly passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the state. AB 849, the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act  was approved by the state Senate [JURIST report] last Thursday, and now goes to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bill, if signed into law, would be the first state law to legalize same-sex marriage and not just civil unions; same-sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts, but that was the result of a judicial decision.