State

  With Covered California’s three-month open-enrollment period starting Nov. 1, it’s a great time to shop for the best fit for your health coverage. During Covered California open enrollment, which runs through Jan. 31, consumers can choose among 11 name-brand health insurance plans that offer high-quality and affordable coverage. Here are some helpful tips. Shop, shop, shop around. Covered California’s online Shop and Compare Tool provides consumers with detailed information about various health plans in specific regions throughout the state. You can compare premium costs, the four pricing tiers, and subsidies available to help you pay for coverage. With some […]

In response to a campaign ad by San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim attacking an HIV-positive, formerly homeless gay man featured in an ad by Equality California, Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur issued the following statement: “It is a tactic for some candidates in electoral campaigns to attack the character and integrity of their opponents in order to marginalize and discredit their participation in the political process. Starting in the primary in the race for Senate District 11, Supervisor Jane Kim launched a coordinated attack on our endorsed candidate, Supervisor Scott Wiener, and on Equality California itself. She spread blatantly […]

Legendary LGBTQ filmmaker and human rights activist Pat Rocco will receive the inaugural Troy Perry Medal of Pride, honoring LGBTQ people and allies who are on the front lines of community activism around the world.  In recognition of LGBTQ History Month, the award will be presented by Rev. Troy Perry, in whose name the awards have been created, at a special event launching The Lavender Effect® Queer History Channel and Student Filmmaker Competition at the W Hollywood Hotel, Oct. 26 from 6-8 p.m.  The event is free and open to the public at the Rooftop Pool. Pat Rocco captured some […]

  Equality California Friday announced the endorsement of three strong LGBT allies for state legislature. The candidates are as follows: Raul Bocanegra Raul Bocanegra (Assembly District 39 currently represented by Democrat Patty Lopez of San Fernando.) During his time in the California Assembly, Raul Bocanegra proved himself a strong LGBT ally, earning an Equality Score rating of 100 percent from Equality California each year. He supports LGBT cultural competency training programs for health professionals, LGBT-specific anti-bullying programs in California schools and has backed legislation like AB 1266 protecting the right of transgender people to use facilities and participate in programs […]

Ricardo Lara California Gov. Jerry Brown Friday signed Senate Bill (SB) 1146, authored by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and sponsored by Equality California. The bill requires private universities receiving public funds to publicly disclose if they discriminate against students with respect to gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. Senate Bill 1146 requires universities that are granted a Title IX exemption to notify the California Student Aid Commission and disseminate the information to students and staff. “No university should have a license to discriminate, especially those receiving state funds,” said Sen. Lara. “Those that do will now have to […]

Equality California announced today that it has withdrawn endorsement from six state assemblymembers following their “no” votes or abstentions on a bill that would require religious colleges and universities to disclose policies that discriminate against LGBT people. Senate Bill (SB) 1146, authored by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and sponsored by Equality California, passed the California Assembly by a vote of 45-28 and the Senate by a vote of 25-13 on August 30. The bill now awaits the governor’s signature. SB 1146 drew fierce opposition from right-wing activists, who raised $350,000 in a campaign to defeat the bill. Assemblymembers Joaquin […]

A former Store Manager (or, Store “Captain” in Trader Joe’s parlance) has filed a sexual orientation discrimination lawsuit against the Company.  In her lawsuit, Sandy Holm, a long term 15-year employee, alleges that her former supervisor, Regional Vice-President Caroline Judd, fired her because she is gay.  The lawsuit was filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court and assigned case number BC634605. “I’m absolutely heart-broken,” responded Ms. Holm when asked to describe how she felt. “Trader Joe’s was my life. I loved that company and I did anything and everything that was ever asked of me.” Among other things, the […]

Equality California today announced the endorsements of 11 strong pro-equality candidates for Congress, the California Legislature and local offices throughout the state. “Equality California has been able to accomplish the things it has because of its work with the LGBT and allied elected officials with whom it collaborates in Washington, D.C., Sacramento and around the state,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. “This fall, we are pleased to endorse a group of candidates with a proven track record of supporting LGBT civil rights and social justice, and are confident that they will fight for strong laws protecting LGBT […]

Before adjourning last week, the California Legislature passed the final bill of Equality California’s 2016 legislative package, a total of eight bills and resolutions sponsored by the organization to win approval since the beginning of the 2016 legislative session. Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 26 passed August 31 with a final, unanimous vote by the Senate. “California has the world’s strongest civil rights protections for LGBT people, but gaps still remain,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. “This year, each of our sponsored bills helped address an area where LGBT people still suffer discrimination and disparities in health and […]