Quoted Text

California must cure
homosexuality? Lawmaker
pushes to repeal relic law
Cornell Barnard  



SACRAMENTO, CA - A Southern California
assemblywoman wants to repeal an obscure law
that's been on the books for six decades and calls
on mental health professionals to find a cure for
homosexuality.

"It's absurd and it needs to go. Sixty years is long
enough," said Long Beach Democratic
Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal.

Lowenthal has introduced a bill to repeal section
8050 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, which
declares "the State Department of Mental Health shall
plan and cause to be conducted scientific research
into the causes and cures of sexual deviation,
including the causes of homosexuality."

Many in the gay community are surprised such a law
still exists and want it gone.

"It's truly offensive, a law from a bygone era that is
utterly discriminatory," said Mario Guerrero of
Equality California.

Lowenthal said she's moving the repeal through
committees and hasn't seen any opposition.

"It has no place in our code books today," Lowenthal
said.