SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – The executive director of the California Fair Political Practices Commission says The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was tardy in revealing about $37,000 worth of contributions to pass the state’s ban on same-sex marriages.

Roman Porter is asking the commission when it meets Thursday to fine the Salt Lake City-based church $5,538 as a penalty for missing legal deadlines for reporting the work it performed on behalf of Proposition 8 in the 2008 election.

Porter’s finding came in response to a complaint filed by a gay rights activist after the ballot measure passed 19 months ago.

A statement on the church’s website says the violations were unintentional and stemmed from a misunderstanding about how often it needed to report its contributions.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Hundreds of bicyclists have started the 545-mile, week-long ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles for the ninth annual AIDS/Lifecycle ride.

More than 1,900 riders are participating in this year’s trek to raise money for treatment and awareness of the auto-immune disorder.

They’re expected to raise more than $10 million for the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Both groups provide HIV/AIDS services

San Francisco AIDS Foundation spokeswoman Debra Holtz says the ride attracted about 300 fewer riders this year, but each rider is raising about $5,000, compared to about $4,000 last year.

The ride’s organizers say about 1.1 million Americans live with HIV.

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Researchers at Saint Louis University say far too many people living with HIV or AIDS smoke, and now is the time to do something about it.

Associate professor of community health Jenine Harris examined other studies on smoking and HIV and AIDS. Her research was published online last month in the American Journal of Public Health.

Studies show that of the 1.1 million Americans living with HIV or AIDS, 40 – 60 percent smoke.

Harris says decades of research have found that smoking is a risk factor for disease and death in people living with HIV and AIDS.

But she notes that researchers still don’t know the best strategy to help those with HIV or AIDS quit or avoid starting smoking.

SOUTH ORANGE (AP) – Officials are considering whether a Catholic university in New Jersey should offer a course on same-sex marriage have not yet announced a final decision.

Seton Hall University’s Mission and Identity Committee met behind closed doors on the South Orange campus Thursday.

A university spokesperson said the committee discussed the course but did not make a final recommendation.

Earlier, Newark Archbishop John Myers, who is a member of the school’s board, issued a statement saying “the course is not in sync with Catholic teaching.”

The school says 20 students are registered for the 25-seat elective course that’s designed to explore social and political issues without advocating for either side.

One of the few openly gay teachers on campus will teach the course.

NEW YORK (AP) – Police have arrested a man on a hate-crime charge in connection to an anti-gay incident.

Authorities said a 43-year-old Brooklyn man approached two 22-year-old men around 9:30 Saturday morning on Utica Avenue and began making comments about one of the men’s clothing.

As the men continued on their way, police said the older man pulled out a knife and made anti-gay remarks while menacing them.

The younger men flagged down two police officers, who took the 43-year-old into custody.

Police charged him with menacing as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon.

NEW YORK (AP) – Ricky Martin has stepped out in style at an AIDS research organization’s New York City gala celebrating men’s fashion. It’s one of his first public appearances since announcing he’s gay.

Celebrities including Kylie Minogue and Cyndi Lauper attended Thursday night’s The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) event, which honored the “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer for his philanthropic contributions through his foundation.

Minogue hosted the black tie/black leather event. She says she is happy for Martin and feels he’s “embracing and living life” since announcing in late March he’s gay.

Designer Jean-Paul Gaultier was honored for his contributions to menswear and his humanitarian work.

The gala benefits amfAR’s AIDS research programs.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit by a former Ohio State University librarian who sued the school, claiming he faced discrimination for his Christian beliefs.

U.S. District Court Judge William Bertelsman has ruled that Scott Savage couldn’t show that the university made his working conditions intolerable enough to resign.

Savage said he was forced to quit after recommending a conservative book for incoming freshmen at the university’s Mansfield campus.

Savage said the school’s other picks were too liberal and reflected the promotion of a gay agenda.

In Monday’s ruling, Bertelsman said professors who criticized Savage weren’t in a position to discipline him and that the librarian had his supervisors’ support.

MONTPELIER (AP) – A child custody fight between former lesbian partners is headed back to court in Vermont even though the girl at the heart of it remains missing.

Eight-year-old Isabella Miller-Jenkins and birth mother Lisa Miller failed to appear for a court-ordered Jan. 1 custody swap in which Miller’s former partner, Janet Jenkins, was to get the girl.

The girl is listed as missing. A lawyer for Jenkins says Miller and the girl are believed to have flown to El Salvador last September.

On June 23 the Vermont Supreme Court will hear arguments from Miller’s attorneys, who say a Family Court judge erred last November in awarding custody to Jenkins.

RICHMOND (AP) – A leading Democratic legislator is criticizing Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s decision not to intervene on behalf of the father of a Marine whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters carrying inflammatory signs.

Virginia was one of only two states refusing to join in a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Albert Snyder’s battle against the fundamentalist Westboro Baptist Church. A federal appeals court threw out a $5 million verdict for Snyder, who appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Cuccinelli said concerns about freedom of expression prompted him to keep Virginia out of the fight. House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong said Wednesday that Cuccinelli’s decision is “beyond the pale” and does not reflect the wishes of Virginians.

Cuccinelli spokesperson Brian Gottstein said Armstrong is using the issue to try to score political points.

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama is extending child care, medical leave and other benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.

Obama on Wednesday directed federal agencies to immediately begin allowing domestic partners and their children some of the same rights available to spouses and children of employees. That includes child-care services and subsidies, expanded family and medical leave and relocation and other benefits.

Obama’s memorandum covers only benefits that can be extended under existing law, without congressional action. Legislative action would be required for a full range of health care and other benefits.

It’s the president’s latest step on gay rights. He’s also supported a rollback of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” that governs gay military members.