A measure to amend California's Constitution to define marriage as a union "between a man and a woman" was certified June 2 by Secretary of State Debra Bowen for the November 4, 2008, General Election ballot.

To qualify for the ballot, the marriage definition measure needed 694,354 valid petition signatures, which is equal to 8 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2006 General Election. The initiative proponents submitted 1,120,801 signatures in an attempt to qualify the measure, and it qualified through the random sample signature check.

Entitled "Limit On Marriage: Constitutional Amendment," the initiative would amends the California Constitution "to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

The California Supreme Court's ruled May 15 to overturn Proposition 22, a 2000 initiative which had banned gay marriage, and was approved by voters 61-39 percent. That decision was sharply criticized by the California Catholic Conference of Bishops and other religious leaders.

"That statute (approved by a majority vote of 61.2 to 38.8 percent in 2000) reflected the wisdom of the voters of California in retaining the traditional definition of marriage as a biological reality and a societal good," said a May 15 CCC statement.

"Catholic teaching," declared the bishops, "maintains that marriage is a faithful, exclusive and lifelong union between one man and one woman joined in an intimate partnership of life and love --- a union instituted by God for the mutual fulfillment of the husband and wife as well as for the procreation and education of children."

"The response from the people of this state has been unprecedented in support of marriage's legacy, by responding with an all-out volunteer signature campaign," said Ron Prentice, CEO of the California Family Council and chairman of the ProtectMarriage.com coalition sponsoring the amendment. "We're so grateful to the over 1.1 million voters who signed the marriage petition in time for the November election. Passing this amendment is the only way for the people to override the four supreme court judges who want to re-define marriage for our entire society."

"The vast majority of research continues to state that California's voters favor keeping marriage as it is, protecting its historic definition between only a man and a woman.

Prentice said the November ballot will give an opportunity for citizens to respond to the State Supreme Court's decision, "by solidifying traditional marriage in the California Constitution. Californians are a tolerant people. But we also know that marriage is between a man and a woman, as the voters reaffirmed just a few years ago."

Listed as initiative proponents by the Secretary of State were Dennis Hollingsworth, Gail J. Knight, Martin F. Gutierrez, Hak-Shing William Tam and Mark A. Jansson. The California Family Council (CFC) is a family policy council with offices in Sacramento and Riverside.