Arnold Schwarzenegger agrees to 'Harvey Milk Day' for California
Nick Allen in Los Angeles
Oct. 12, 2009
It marked a u-turn for Schwarzenegger, the Republican governor, who had previously vetoed such a move.
Since he did so Milk has been posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was the subject of a film for which Sean Penn won the Academy Award for best actor.
Schwarzenegger's spokesman, Aaron McLear, said: "He has become much more of a symbol of the gay community than he was a year ago because of those things.
That made the difference from last year. He's really come to symbolise the gay community in California."
Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in a major US city, was assassinated in 1978.
"Harvey Milk Day" will now be celebrated in California on May 22, Milk's birthday. He is only the second person, after conservationist John Muir, to have their own day in the state.
It will not be a formal state holiday but will be observed by public schools as a day of "special significance" and teachers will be encouraged to conduct exercises recalling Milk's life.
Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California, said: "Californians will now learn about Harvey's amazing contributions to the advancement of civil rights for decades to come."
But Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com, a pro-family campaign group, said it was an "appalling" decision by Schwarzenegger.
Schwarzenegger also signed bills regulating ammunition sales, cosmetic surgery and the paparazzi.
From 2011 those selling handgun ammunition will have to keep details of buyers, including their thumbprint and signature.
Schwarzenegger said: "Although I have previously vetoed legislation similar to this measure, local governments have demonstrated that requiring ammunition vendors to keep records on ammunition sales improves public safety."
Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California, which represents 30,000 gun owners, said it meant those buying ammunition were "going to be treated like registered sex offenders".