Samuel Garrett-Pate

The California Senate unanimously passed legislation authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and co-sponsored by Equality California to mandate the collection and reporting of sexual orientation and gender identity data for all COVID-19 patients on Thursday. Senator Wiener and Equality California introduced SB 932 in early May in response to the state and counties’ failure to collect and report data about the crisis’s impacts on the LGBTQ+ community — depriving both the government and LGBTQ+ community leaders of invaluable information needed to protect the health of LGBTQ+ Californians. “California’s response to this crisis has been data-driven — and rightly so,” said Equality […]

Across California on Tuesday, openly LGBTQ+ candidates and pro-equality allies running for office dominated in key races up and down the ballot. With the backing of Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, San Diego mayoral candidate Asm. Todd Gloria emerged from his primary as the clear frontrunner, pro-equality ally Asm. Christy Smith (D-Santa Clarita) placed first in both her special election and primary election for the 25th Congressional District and state senate candidates Asm. Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) and Abigail Medina (D-San Bernardino) both advanced to the November election. If elected, Eggman and Medina would make history as the first two LGBTQ+ women of color to serve […]

California State Assemblymember Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) has secured a significant victory for the state’s LGBTQ youth. Today, the Senate Education Committee approved Assembly Bill 493 (AB 493), authored by Assemblymember Gloria and co-sponsored by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and Equality California, which would require teachers to receive training on school and community resources available to support LGBTQ students. AB 493, known as the Safe and Supportive Schools Act of 2019, passed the Committee 6 -0 with bipartisan support and now advances to the Senate Appropriations Committee. “The Safe and Supportive Schools Act will create a more supportive and safe learning […]

Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) Senate Bill 145, which ends blatant discrimination against LGBTQ youth regarding California’s sex offender registry, passed the Assembly Committee on Public Safety with a 6-2 vote. It now heads to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. SB 145 is co-sponsored by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and Equality California, and is supported by both law enforcement and civil rights advocates. Currently, for voluntary unlawful sexual relations between a teenager age 14 to 17 and a partner within 10 years of age, “statutory rape” (i.e., penile-vaginal intercourse) does not mandate that the offender go onto […]

In Equality California’s 20th anniversary year, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization has introduced its most aggressive, robust package of pro-equality legislation yet. The organization’s priorities include a number of first-in-the-nation bills and are primarily focused on supporting LGBTQ youth and families, increasing access to HIV prevention medication and protecting the civil rights of transgender and intersex Californians. Equality California is sponsoring the following 2019 bills and resolutions in the California Legislature and has experts available for comment or background briefings: Safe and Supportive Schools Act – AB 493 by Assemblymember Todd Gloria and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony […]

A delegation of more than 30 LGBTQ elected officials, artists, athletes and activists traveled across the border Tuesday to shed light on the human face of the manufactured crisis at the border — in particular, the unique plight of LGBTQ asylum seekers in Tijuana [Photos]. More than 80 counties around the world treat same-sex sexual activity as a crime, and LGBTQ people face violence and persecution in many more. Still, refugees face significant and increasing obstacles to seeking asylum in the United States, including discrimination and violence on their journey, at the border and in U.S. immigration detention facilities. Hosted by Equality […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization released the following statement from Executive Director Rick Zbur in support of Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to impose an indefinite moratorium on executions in the State of California, to be announced Wednesday: “Equality California applauds Governor Newsom for the principled leadership he has demonstrated through this decision. Fairness and equality are fundamental California values. But these core values are not reflected in our state’s broken death penalty system. We cannot accept a system in which certain communities — especially communities of color and the LGBTQ community — are disproportionately vulnerable […]

 In an historic night for openly LGBTQ and pro-equality candidates across the country, Californians elected longtime LGBTQ ally Gavin Newsom to be the Golden State’s next governor and Equality California-endorsed candidate Eleni Kounalakis as the state’s next lieutenant governor, while re-electing U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. Additionally, openly gay California Senator Ricardo Lara currently leads Republican-turned-independent Steve Poizner in the race for Insurance Commissioner by more than 105,000 votes, as of Wednesday morning. If elected, Lara will make history as the state’s first openly LGBTQ statewide official. “With millions of ballots left to be counted across the state, it is already […]

Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, announced the endorsements of 17 pro-equality candidates running for state and local office this year. The candidates include a number of openly LGBTQ Californians seeking public office across the state — part of a surge of LGBTQ candidates running throughout the country this year. “Our state and local elected officials are on the front lines of the fight for LGBTQ civil rights and social justice, and we’re excited to be supporting such an outstanding group of candidates this year,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “With a record number […]