By WENN.com

Sean Penn is urging California lawmakers to officially recognize Harvey Milk's birthday -- a proposal vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger last year.

The actor won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the politician and gay rights activist in the critically acclaimed movie Milk last month.

And now he has joined a campaign to reintroduce a bill that would designate Milk's birthday on May 22 a ""day of significance"", encouraging schools to commemorate his life.

Schwarzenegger overturned the plans last year, arguing that Milk should only be honored in San Francisco, where he was elected to the board of supervisors.

But State Senator Mark Leno insists Milk is now of greater interest as a public figure and equal rights campaigner.

Late-nigh host Jay Leno says, ""Given California's fiscal crisis, the bill was written to have no cost to the state, and state workers and school employees would not get the day off from work.""

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