RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF AB 19 – RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND CIVIL MARRIAGE PROTECTION ACT

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

WHEREAS, the County of San Mateo has by local policy and ordinance shown its commitment to fair and equitable treatment of all persons regardless of gender or sexual orientation;

WHEREAS, both the United States Constitution and the California Constitution clearly state that no person within their jurisdiction shall be denied equal protection under the law;

WHEREAS, the County of San Mateo is home to numerous families headed by same-sex couples, many with children;

WHEREAS, marriage is a unique civil contract, separate and distinct from any religious, ethnic or other spiritual traditions;

WHEREAS, providing equal access to civil marriage will not require religious institutions to perform or recognize marriages that conflict with their particular religious traditions or beliefs;

WHEREAS, the opportunity to publicly and legally commit to share one’s life with a person of one’s choice, is for many people one of the most central aspects of human experience, and denial of marriage to same-sex couples is a denial of fundamental civil rights;

WHEREAS, denying civil marriage to gay and lesbian families deprives them of thousands of state and federal rights, privileges, immunities, protections, and responsibilities;

WHEREAS, gay and lesbian families deserve the same rights and legal protections as other families under the law, including the protection of their spousal rights and privileges and protection of their children’s economic interests by insuring their access to the resources of both parents;

WHEREAS, suffering the inability to access these legal protections results in significant harm to these families, including financial insecurity, lack of retirement and death benefits, and lack of access to family court for dissolutions;

WHEREAS, discriminatory marriage laws undermine the State of California’s commitment to equality, privacy, and justice for all of its citizens, as well as undermining marriage itself.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors of San Mateo County declares its support for equal marriage rights for same-sex couples and supports enactments to codify such marriages in California law, including AB 19 – The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act.

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