Simple to Complicated

California Attorney General, Jerry Brown, took the very simple Proposition 8 Amendment language in the proposed law and created his own version with a significant bias.

Here the law is in its entirety...

Section 1. Title

This measure shall be known and may be cited as the "California Marriage Protection Act."

Section 2. Section 7.5 is added to Article I of the California Constitution, to read:

Sec. 7.5. Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

Very simple and straight forward... but Jerry Brown decided to embellish this text in his "Ballot Label" (wording used on the actual ballot) and "Ballot Title and Summary" (wording used on the Sample Ballot). The Ballot Label reads:

ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARY.
INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

Changes California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. Provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Fiscal Impact: Over next few years, potential revenue loss, mainly sales taxes, totaling in the several tens of millions of dollars, to state and local governments. In the long run, likely little financial impact on state or local government.

A description of this action can be located in a local news broadcast. The entire text for the ballot and sample ballot for this (and other propositions) can be found on the Secretary of State website.