Schwarzenegger says he'll veto same-sex marriage bill.

Byline: Mark Gladstone and Aaron C. Davis

SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ Less than 24 hours after a landmark same-sex marriage proposal won final legislative approval, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday announced he would reject the measure and that the contentious issue should be settled by a vote of the people or the courts.

In a two-paragraph statement, Schwarzenegger's press secretary said he respects the legal protections already afforded gays in California as well as overwhelming support by voters in 2000 for Proposition 22 _ now under challenge in California courts _ that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

"The governor believes the matter should be determined not by legislative action _ which would be unconstitutional _ but by court decision or another vote of the people of our state," said Margita Thompson. "We cannot have a system where the people vote and the Legislature derails that vote."

The governor's unusually quick …