Attending school in Sacramento gives Sac State students a unique opportunity to experience trends of the California government. Whether it is lobbying, future job opportunities, or the ability to organize on the steps of the Capitol, Sac State students are in a prime location to possibly influence legislation that is being debated on the floors of the legislature.

Time after time, the state legislature makes decisions that are absurd. While our time has been consumed about their decisions to cut the Sacramento State budget, which ultimately leads to our fees being increased, our elected representatives are constantly making decisions against the will of the people of California. On Jan. 1, 2005, a law that passed without the support of Californians will take effect.

The Domestic Partnership Responsibility Act is a bill that will give homosexual couples the same rights and benefits of married couples throughout California. AB 205, which is authored by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, will create a registry to allow same-sex couples to sign up and be recognized as domestic partners. When a couple signs up on the registry, their ability to act as a married couple is greatly augmented.

In California, domestic partners will now be able to force insurance companies to recognize the relationship as a marriage, costing California companies billions of dollars which will be pushed onto consumers. In addition, people in this type of relationship will now be able to adopt children.While I believe some of the provisions of the law are detrimental (particularly the ability for same-sex couples to be able to adopt), the most despicable item about this law is that it goes against the will of Californians.

In March 2000, Californians voted in favor of Proposition 22 by a resounding 61 percent. The initiative placed a provision in the California Constitution limiting marriage to a relationship between a man and a woman. In an election, anything achieving 55-percent approval is phenomenal support. Since the initiative hit the 60 percent mark, society has placed a clear mandate of the public’s desire.

Regardless of how one feels about this specific topic, it does seem that many students agree and are concerned with the legislature’s willingness to forget about the desire of the very people they represent. Jeff Given, a government major, said, “While I am sure legislators consistently have good intentions, it is horrible to think that they would ignore their oath of obligation to serve the State and the people of California.”

After Proposition 22 passed in 2000, Assemblyman Mark Leno, Chair of the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Caucus, has authored multiple bills with the objective to work loopholes in the proposition. This makes me wonder if certain legislatures even care about the will of the people.While I have chosen to focus on Proposition 22, this kind of act happens all the time in Sacramento– on both sides of the aisle. Regardless of political party, many legislators have decided that their interests are more important than the people they represent.

California politics affects our every day lives. From student fees to our tax responsibilities, our elected officials are controlling the way we are able to conduct ourselves. As students living in Sacramento, we should take advantage of our unique situation and make sure the people we elect are held accountable for their actions.