For the second time, the California State Senate approved a bill that would extend marriage equality to all California couples. Assembly Bill 43, the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno passed by a vote of 22-15 last Friday.

San Diego state representatives played a key role in passing the gender neutral legislation, which redefines marriage as a civil contract between two people, but still allows religious groups to refuse to sanction the unions. Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) co-authored the measure, along with 29 Assemblymembers and 19 other Senators.

Sen. Denise Moreno Ducheny (D-San Diego), who recently admitted hesitation about supporting the legislation, cast a vote in favor of the bill.

Ducheny, whose 40th Senate District includes the southern part of San Diego County, abstained from supporting an almost identical bill authored by Leno, Assembly Bill 849, by “taking a walk” when the Senate voted on the legislation in 2005.

Because the current legislative session wraps up Friday, Sept. 14, and legislators are in session on the senate floor, Ducheny was unavailable to comment on her decision to support the marriage equality bill.

The bill, which passed the California Assembly by a vote of 42-34 in June, now goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk for consideration. Schwarzenegger, who vetoed AB 849 in 2005, is expected to do the same to Assembly Bill 43.

A spokesperson for Schwarzenegger said that the governor hasn’t taken a specific position on Assembly Bill 43, but he’ll follow the results of Proposition 22, a 2000 ballot initiative, in which voters supported limiting marriage to a union between a man and a woman.

Schwarzenegger must take action on all bills by Oct. 14.