Bizarre laws and out-dated codes are a fact of life when it comes to surveying state laws. When legislators find a code or a law that needs updated to reflect the signs of the times, action is generally taken swiftly to make sure offensive codes or regulations are removed.

In California, that story is no different, where a state statute written in 1950 (and reaffirmed in 1967) calls for the California State Department of Mental Health to investigate and fund research into the cures of homosexuality.

Yes, curing homosexuality is not a part of the California state government's day-to-day operations. But having this statute on the books, even if it's not enforced, sends an unintended message that California state law believes homosexuality can be "cured." Moreover, it just reflects a lack of concern on behalf of state legislators, who've let a statute like this stay on the books for fifty-five years.

Currently, California Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal has introduced Assembly Bill 2199. That bill would repeal Section 8050 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, which directs the state of California to investigate cures for homosexuality. It's time to urge all California legislators -- Republican or Democrat -- to get behind a repeal of this bill. Yes, the law may not be enforced, but there's also no reason to keep something like this, clearly rooted in homophobia, officially on the books.