law is a couple from Alberta. August 26 – In Thomas McCosker v The State the High Court of Fiji invalidates the country's sodomy law as a violation of constitutional guarantees prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. 31 – In U.S. v. Blaylockthe United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit denied an appeal based on the exclusion of a potential juror which the defendant alleged was based on the juror's sexual orientation. The appeal had sought to extend to sexual orientation the protections of Batson v. Kentucky, which forbids excluding potential jurors based on race. September 6 – The California Legislature passes a bill (by 21 to 15 in the Senate, 41 to 35 in the Assembly) to legalize same-sex marriage, becoming the first state legislature in the U.S. to do so without judicial prompting. 22 – American Medical Association (AMA) president Edward Hill, MD, gives a keynote address to the delegates of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) at the organization's annual conference being held in Montreal. In his speech, he acknowledged past unfair treatment of GLMA members and LGBT physicians by the AMA. 29 – Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of California, vetoes the bill passed on September 6 legalizing same-sex marriage. October 9 – Kansas Equality Coalition is founded, uniting groups in five regions that fought against the passage of the state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. 21 – In State v. Limon, the Kansas Supreme Court strikes down a clause of the state's "Romeo and Juliet" law that punished underage sex more severely if it involved homosexual acts. November 8 – In a referendum, Maine voters reject a measure to repeal a bill enacted in March banning discrimination based on sexual orientation (including gender identity) in the private sector. 15 – André Boisclair is chosen leader of the Parti Québécois, becoming the first openly gay man elected leader of a major political party in North America. December Latvia amends its constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage. 1 – The Constitutional Court of South Africa hands down its judgment in the case of Minister of Home Affairs v Fourie, declaring that it is unconstitutional for the government to allow marriage for opposite-sex couples but not for same-sex couples. The judgment is suspended for one year to allow Parliament to rectify the discrimination. 5 – Civil partnerships begin in the United Kingdom. 9 – The First