New Laws Will Advance Transgender Equality and Health, Protect LGBTQ+ Families, Safeguard Reproductive Freedom
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In the final days leading up to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s September 30 bill signing deadline, the governor signed nine pro-equality bills sponsored by Equality California, bringing the organization’s total legislative victories in 2022 to 11 signed bills, two budget allocations and an audit — one of the organization’s largest legislative packages to date. The bills would help advance transgender equality and health, protect diverse LGBTQ+ families, safeguard reproductive freedom and ensure public documents reflect the identities of transgender and nonbinary Californians.
“While far right politicians in Texas and Florida were attacking trans kids and criminalizing abortion, California remains a beacon of hope and keeps its commitment that our state will lead by example and understands the values of our democracy,” said Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang. “This legislative cycle our signed sponsored legislation will help advance transgender equality and health, protect diverse LGBTQ+ families, safeguard reproductive freedom and ensure public documents reflect the identities of transgender and nonbinary Californians – advancing full, lived LGBTQ+ equality.”
Earlier this year, Newsom signed AB 1666 (Bauer-Kahan), which protects people seeking abortion care in California, and SB 357 (Wiener), which repealed the state’s discriminatory law against loitering with the intent to engage in sex work and helps prevent police profiling and harassment of trans people and women of color. Equality California also led a successful push to secure key funding to improve school climate for LGBTQ+ students and worked to bolster state and county health agencies’ response to the ongoing MPXV (monkeypox virus) health crisis — requests championed by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley) and Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), respectively. The organization also helped secure an audit of the California Department of Public Health’s collection and reporting of sexual orientation and gender identity data required by existing state law.
The new pro-equality legislation signed by Governor Newsom includes:
SB 107 (Wiener): Protecting Transgender Youth and Their Families (Signed 9/29/22)
SB 107 is a response to anti-trans laws of other states and will help to ensure that transgender youth and their families who come to California in pursuit of gender affirming care and an authentic life are protected in that endeavor.
SB 923 (Wiener): TGI Inclusive Care Act (Signed 9/29/22)
SB 923 will help to create a healthcare system that meets the needs of TGI people and will make it easier for TGI people to find life-saving gender-affirming services.
SB 1194 (Allen): All Gender Restrooms (Signed 9/29/22)
SB 1194 authorizes localities to require that new public restrooms be designed for all genders, as specified.
AB 1041 (Wicks): Leave for Chosen Families (Signed 9/29/22)
AB 1041 will make access to job protected family caregiving and sick leave more equitable for all of California’s working families, including LGBTQ+ workers with chosen families.
AB 2091 (Bonta): Reproductive Health and Privacy (Signed 9/27/22)
AB 2091 will protect the private medical information of people in California when exercising their right to obtain an abortion.
AB 2194 (Ward): Training for Pharmacists (Signed 9/30/22)
AB 2194 will strengthen implementation of SB 159 (Wiener 2019) and reduce barriers to care for LGBTQ+ people by equipping pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to provide LGBTQ+ culturally competent services and care.
AB 2315 (Arambula): Minimizing Deadnaming in CCC Systems (Signed 9/30/22)
AB 2315 will require Community College Districts to implement processes by which students, staff, and faculty can declare and use an affirmed name and/or gender on academic records.
AB 2417 (Ting): Youth Bill of Rights (Signed 9/29/22)
AB 2417 will ensure that incarcerated youth – a disproportionate number of whom are LGBTQ+ – have easier access to information regarding their existing rights under state and federal law.
AB 2436 (Bauer-Kahan): Death Certificates (Signed 9/30/22)
AB 2436 will make parental fields on death certificates gender inclusive, which will help LGBTQ+ parents navigate estate proceedings and other matters following the death of a child.
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
