Governor gets bill requiring California textbooks to reflect gay contributions

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Textbooks and history classes in California schools would be required to include the contributions of gays, lesbians and trangender Americans under legislation approved Tuesday by the state Assembly and sent to Gov. Jerry Brown.

The legislation sparked a spirited debate, including personal pleas from two openly gay lawmakers -- Assembly Speaker John Perez (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco). They said the bill would reduce the bullying of gay students and correct an oversight by history books.

‘I don’t want to be invisible in a textbook,’’ Ammiano told his colleagues.

Assemblyman Tim Donnelly of San Bernardino was one of several Republicans who spoke against the measure, which he argued was promoting a ‘homosexual agenda’ that many of his constituents do not support.

‘As a Christian I am deeply offended,’ Donnelly said. AB 48, which was previously approved by the Senate, passed out of the Assembly on a 49-25 vote.

-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento