California Volunteers Gathering Signatures To Block Gay History Law
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Fired-up volunteers in California have started gathering signatures for a ballot referendum that would repeal the nation's first law requiring public schools to include prominent gay people and gay rights milestones in history and social science lessons.
So far, organizers of the Stop SB48 campaign have been circulating petitions mostly at churches and Tea Party political meetings. That's because the conservative groups leading the effort haven't had money to hire professional signature gatherers.
Karen England of the Capitol Resource Institute in Sacramento said the repeal's backers nonetheless are confident they will get the required number to qualify the measure for the June 2012 ballot. They have until Oct. 12 to collect 504,760 signatures from registered voters.
But political operatives say they can't recall any citizens' initiative making the state ballot without paid petitioners in almost three decades.
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