Bill Saluting Harvey Milk Brings California Fight

In a demonstration of the complex layer cake that is the body politic of California, one of the most contentious pieces of legislation before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would set aside a day of recognition for Harvey Milk, the openly gay San Francisco politician assassinated in 1978.

The bill, which would designate Milk’s birthday, May 22, a day of “special significance,” was passed by both houses of the Democratic-controlled Legislature this week and immediately drew a news conference in opposition and an outpouring of phone calls, e-mail messages and faxes to Mr. Schwarzenegger, a Republican.