State

Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) today announced the introduction of SB 219, the California LGBT Seniors Long-Term Care Bill of Rights, which will strengthen protections for LGBT seniors living in long-term care facilities against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or HIV status. The bill would protect all seniors living in skilled nursing facilities, immediate care facilities, and residential care facilities. The bill is co-authored by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) and sponsored by Equality California. It is supported by the American Civil Liberties Union and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.  SB 219 protects LGBT seniors […]

The Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco voted on the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 31, to approve a groundbreaking resolution calling on municipal authorities, philanthropists and business leaders to support the GLBT Historical Society’s efforts to develop a new LGBTQ museum and public history center in the city. Supervisor Jeff Sheehy introduced the resolution, which was cosponsored by Supervisor Jane Kim. The board voted unanimously in favor of the resolution. “Our communities have existed since time immemorial, yet our histories continually get erased,” said Supervisor Sheehy. “As recently as 1933 in what had been fabulously queer […]

You still have time. That’s the message Covered California officials are broadcasting across the state, encouraging residents to apply for health insurance before open enrollment ends Jan. 31. “We’re still open for business, and we want every eligible Californian to enjoy the protection and security that comes with having health insurance for themselves and their families,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee said. Since insurance was first offered in 2013, Covered California has become woven into the fabric of how health care is provided in the state, with nearly 3 million consumers benefiting from coverage for some portion of […]

President Donald Trump issued twin executive orders on Wednesday directing the Department of Homeland Security to begin constructing a $20 billion wall along the U.S.-Mexican border and to hire 10,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and 5,000 Border Patrol agents to carry out deportations. The executive actions also block “sanctuary cities” from receiving federal funding. Along with millions of immigrants nationwide, Trump’s orders affect some 250,000 undocumented LGBT Californians, many of whom came to the United States when they were very young or have “mixed-status” families, in which some members are U.S. citizens and others are undocumented. Others are seeking […]

Senators Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) today announced legislation to enable more transgender, intersex and nonbinary people to obtain state-issued identity documents that accurately reflect their gender. The bill is sponsored by Equality California and the Transgender Law Center. Senate Bill (SB) 179 would accomplish this by creating a third, nonbinary gender marker on California birth certificates, drivers’ licenses, identity cards and gender-change court orders. The bill also streamlines the processes for Californians to apply to the state for a change in gender on these identifying documents. Our society is becoming more enlightened every day […]

The County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recently issued a health advisory on shigellosis indicating that men who have sex with men (MSM) are at increased risk for this disease. Shigellosis is an infection caused by the Shigella species of bacteria usually resulting in a diarrheal illness lasting 5 to 7 days.  In 2016, 232 cases of shigellosis were reported in San Diego County, a 26 percent increase compared to 2015, and a larger proportion of cases (66 percent) were among men, many self-identified as MSM. An uncommon type of drug-resistant Shigella caused an outbreak in Southern California counties […]

The City of West Hollywood is taking bold action to reaffirm its commitment to its core values and to work to defend the rights of community members as Donald J. Trump takes office in Washington, DC. At its regular meeting on Monday, December 5, 2016, the City Council of the City of West Hollywood approved several actions to respond to the incoming administration, which include: Reaffirming the City’s core values of respect and inclusion for all; Directing the City Manager to convene a staff working group to respond to proposed actions by the new administration that contravene the City’s core […]

GLSEN this week released state-level data from its benchmark National School Climate Survey, which shows that U.S. secondary schools are slowly improving but remain hostile environments for many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students. The biennial survey, which began in 1999, found that harassment and discrimination negatively affect LGBTQ students’ educational outcomes and mental health. The research also confirmed that lower levels of harassment and better educational outcomes are related to the presence of school-based supports: LGBTQ-inclusive anti-bullying policies, LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, supportive educators and Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs). For California specifically, the report found: The vast majority of LGBTQ […]

A higher minimum wage, a ban on using “Redskins” as the name of a school team or mascot, and new restrictions on assault weapons are among the latest California laws taking effect with the new year. Below, what to know about the new laws in California: Minimum Wage: California’s minimum wage will increase from $10 an hour to $10.50 for businesses with 26 or more employees under SB3 by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco. It will eventually rise to $15 an hour in 2022. The law delays the increases by one year for smaller employers. Assault Weapons: Lawmakers passed a […]