Supreme Court Bars Riverside Anti-Gay Measure
SAN FRANCISCO — An anti-gay rights initiative in Riverside was barred from the ballot Thursday by the state Supreme Court in an action that could overturn similar measures already passed in other cities.
The initiative, which was to have gone on the Riverside city ballot last November, would have repealed existing local anti-discrimination measures on homosexuality and AIDS. It would also have forbidden such measures in the future without a public vote and prohibited city funding of any activity that “promotes, encourages, endorses, legitimizes or justifies homosexual conduct.â€
A state appeals court ruled last December that the measure was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court denied review of the ruling, with only Justice Edward Panelli voting to grant a hearing sought by sponsors of the initiative.
The appellate ruling now becomes binding on trial courts statewide, including a court in Contra Costa County that is considering a challenge to a similar anti-gay initiative approved by Concord voters last fall.
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