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Equality California
2009
LEGISLATIVESCORECARD
BUILDINGA STATE OF EQUALITY
Despite a tough legislative session and the worst budget crisis in Californiahistory, this year has been one of Equality California’s best yet in Sacramento.We passed a record 11 pieces of Equality California-sponsored legislation thatwill improve the lives of LGBT Californians. Another six bills and resolutionspassed their
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rst house or key committee and will be taken up again when theLegislature reconvenes in January.Through partnerships with terri
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c legislators, smart and strategic lobbying,grassroots support including the largest LGBT lobby day in state history, over150,000 emails and petitions signed, more than 75,000 phone calls from our
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eld of
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ces, and visits to the members in their districts, we made history.Thanks to all of this hard work, three of Equality California’s bills were enacted,including legislation that honors Harvey Milk, protects married same-sex couplesregardless of where and when they were married, and expands access to fundingfor LGBT domestic violence programs.Disappointingly, the governor vetoed two important bills on the grounds thatexisting law and policy already provided the protections the bills sought to putinto statute: the Equal ID Act, allowing transgender people to obtain correctedbirth certi
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cates and the LGBT Prisoner Safety Act, requiring consideration ofsexual orientation and gender identity in housing prisoners.
FEDERAL RESOLUTIONS
Equality California seized the opportunity for real change on the federal level bysponsoring a number of resolutions pushing the U.S. Congress and Presidentto support LGBT rights. These resolutions put California, the state with the mostLGBT people in the country and the largest Congressional delegation, on recordin support of overturning discriminatory federal laws and providing critical rightsand protections for our community. Equality California’s
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eld organizers andvolunteers also worked on the ground to lobby Congress to take action on ourrights.
INCREASING SUPPORTIN THE LEGISLATURE
This year we obtained a substantial number of votes for LGBT rights on the
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oorof the legislature and enjoyed more bipartisan support than last year.Over the past 11 years we’ve passed 63 pieces of legislation to advance LGBTequality and improve the lives of Californians. Each year we move closer andcloser to the dream of full equality and a better life for LGBT people in theGolden State.
2009 SPONSORED LEGISLATION
SIGNED LEGISLATIONMarriage Recognition and FamilyProtection Act|SB 54
What it does:
This bill af
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rms that same-sex couples married before the passageof Prop. 8 are entitled to full recognition asmarried spouses in California, regardlessof where they married and that couplesmarried outside of California after thepassage of Prop. 8 must be given all ofthe rights, protections and responsibilitiesof spouses under California law.
Author:
Senator Mark Leno
Status:
Passed by the legislature. Signedby the governor.
Harvey Milk Day Bill|SB 572
What it does:
This bill requires the governorto annually proclaim May 22nd as HarveyMilk Day, designating it as a “day of specialsigni
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cance” and encourages publicschools and educational institutions toconduct suitable commemorative exercisesabout the historical accomplishments ofHarvey Milk.
Author:
Senator Mark Leno
Status:
Passed by the legislature. Signedby the governor.
LGBT Domestic Violence ServicesAct|AB 1003
What it does:
This bill improves andexpands access to a state domesticviolence fund for LGBT-speci
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corganizations that serve victims ofdomestic abuse.
Author:
Assemblymember John A. Pérez
Status:
Passed by the legislature. Signedby the governor.
VETOED LEGISLATIONLGBT Prisoner Safety Act |AB 382
What it does:
This bill would haverequired state prisons to consider sexualorientation and gender identity to safelyhouse prisoners.
Author:
Assemblymember Tom Ammiano
Status:
Passed by the legislature. Vetoedby the governor.
Equal ID Act |AB 1185
What it does:
This bill would have codi
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edexisting legal protections for transgenderpeople born in California which allowsthem to obtain a court order re
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ecting theircorrect gender and any accompanyingname change.
Author:
Assemblymember Ted Lieu
Status:
Passed by the legislature. Vetoedby the governor.
PENDING LEGISLATIONMental Health Services forAt-Risk Youth|SB 543
What it does:
This bill would expandaccess to essential mental health servicesfor minors age 12 to 17, including LGBTyouth, and allow them to obtain counselingwithout parental consent. Many LGBTyouth seek counseling to help them withissues relating to coming out and eithercannot obtain parental consent or arefearful of doing so.
Author:
Senator Mark Leno
Co-sponsors:
National Association ofSocial Workers – California Chapter,Mental Health America of NorthernCalifornia, GSA Network
Status:
Will be heard after the legislaturereconvenes in January.
Survivors’ Home Protection Act| AB 103
What it does:
This bill would end aninequity that presently exists for LGBTpartners, particularly seniors, by preventingthem from having to pay unfair propertytaxes and potentially losing their sharedhome following the death of a partner.
Author:
Assemblymember Kevin de León
Co-sponsor:
San Francisco AssessorPhil Ting
Status:
Will be heard after the legislaturereconvenes in January.
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