The last moment for Governor Jerry Brown to sign or veto bills was Sunday, October 15, at midnight and he waited to the very end to act on several bills the California Catholic Conference tracked this past Legislative Session.

Most notable was the Governor’s veto of AB 569 (Gonzales-Fletcher, D-San Diego), the bill that targeted religious employers and would have created unprecedented liability for a fabricated problem, so-called “reproductive discrimination.” In his veto message, the Governor wrote, “The California Fair Employment and Housing Act has long banned such adverse actions, except for religious institutions. I believe these types of claims should remain within the jurisdiction of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing.”

In a released statement, CCC Executive Director Ned Dolejsi said, “Governor Jerry Brown has allowed common sense and justice to prevail by vetoing AB 569…. Proponents of this bill, sponsored by NARAL, broadened the reach to an unprecedented level in their effort to advance their ideological agenda.  We thank Governor Brown for vetoing this unnecessary, highly questionable effort to harass religious employers who provide valuable services in the public domain.”

There was a concerted effort to defeat this bill. On behalf of the CCC, thank you to everyone who took the time to write to their legislators and the Governor. There is no doubt the continued voice of the Catholic Legislative Network was heard and played a significant role in the defeating the attack on religious employers throughout the state. Read the entire statement here.

Full story at CACatholic.org.