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From:	joya banerjee [ profile ]
Subject:	Fwd: Circumcision ban to get cut from San Francisco ballot .. [SMH]
Sent:	Jul 29th, 2011 - 08:28:27

	Great news! Efforts to ban MMC in San Francisco have been defeated. I wish this ballot measure had been stricken based on the [lack of] merit of the bill, rather than something procedural. It seems like the anti-circs spent an awful lot of time and money on this campaign without doing even basic research to find out that medical procedures are governed by the state, not the city! I'm having a glorious moment of schadenfreude. Joya ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Brian Morris Date: Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 11:31 PM Subject: Circumcision ban to get cut from San Francisco ballot .. [SMH] To: brian.morris (at) sydney.edu.au http://www.smh.com.au/world/circumcision-ban-to-get-cut-from-san-francisco-ballot- 20110728-1i24q.html Circumcision ban to get cut from San Francisco ballot Lisa Leff July 29, 2011 SAN FRANCISCO: A California judge says she intends to strike a ban on male circumcision from the city's November ballot. Superior Court Judge Loretta Giorgi said in a tentative ruling on Wednesday that the proposed law prohibiting circumcision of male children violates a California law that makes regulating medical procedures a function of the state, not cities. ''It serves no legitimate purpose to allow a measure whose invalidity can be determined as a matter of law to remain on the ballot,'' Judge Giorgi wrote. She ordered San Francisco's elections director to remove the controversial measure from the ballot that would have made the city the first in the nation to hold a public vote on whether to outlaw the circumcision of minors. The citizens' initiative, which made the ballot in May after supporters gathered the required 7163 signatures, would have made the practice a misdemeanour offence punishable by a fine of up to $US1000 ($910) or up to one year in jail. There were no exemptions for religious rituals. The city attorney's office said the judge plans to hear arguments on the issue on Thursday before making her ruling final. A group of doctors, families and community groups sued last month to get the measure off the ballot, arguing that it was anti-Semitic and violated state law. Backers had argued the ban was necessary to prevent a form of genital mutilation from being forced on children. Though state law prohibits cities and counties from regulating medical procedures, two California Assembly members have introduced a bill that would specifically pre-empt [exclude] local governments from enacting laws regarding male circumcision. Associated Press, Los Angeles Times Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/circumcision-ban-to-get-cut-from-san-francisco-ballot-20110728-1i24q.html#ixzz1TRBSPP9A

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