A historic bill awarding virtually all the rights of marriage to homosexual "domestic partners" narrowly passed the California state Assembly late this afternoon.
Requiring 41 votes, AB 205 passed 41-29, with 10 members not voting. Democrat supporters expressed surprise as the outcome became apparent.
"Amazing," said Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Christine Kehoe, a lesbian and co-author of the bill.
Pro-family groups that lobbied hard against the bill charged it would subvert the will of Californians who overwhelmingly approved the Protection of Marriage Initiative in March 2000, reserving marriage rights for a man and a woman only.
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