by Stephen Peters •
WASHINGTON – Today, Judge Raymond M. Cadei of the Superior Court of Sacramento County in California, prevented a proposed ballot initiative known as the “Sodomite Suppression Act” from moving forward in a ruling calling it “patently unconstitutional on its face.” The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, praised the decision striking down the initiative that sought to criminalize same-sex relationships and potentially threaten those convicted with death.
"Lest there was any doubt, a heinous California ballot initiative seeking to put gay people to death has been found unconstitutional," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "HRC thanks Attorney General Kamala Harris for her continued leadership in standing up for the rights and dignity of LGBT Californians, and Superior Court Judge Raymond Cadei for recognizing that this barbaric initiative has no place on a ballot in California or anywhere else."
Today’s decision from Judge Cadei is in response to a request from California Attorney General Harris seeking judicial authorization to not issue a title and summary for the so-called "Sodomite Suppression Act." By not doing so, the horrific proposal is prevented from advancing to the next stage in California's ballot measure process.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
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