18 – AB 2943 – So-Called “Conversion Therapy” is Consumer Fraud

Year: 2018

Category: Social/Political

Bill Description:

For far too long, LGBTQ people have suffered psychological abuse by those who are entrusted to care for their emotional and psychological well-being. These dangerous practices, often referred to as “conversion therapy,” have no sound scientific basis and can cause lifelong damage. This bill would make clear in California statute that claiming to be able to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity is a fraudulent business practice that misleads consumers and exposes LGBTQ people to damaging psychological abuse.

18 – AB 1985 – Updating Local Hate Crimes Policies

Year: 2018

Category: Social/Political, Workplace

Bill Description:

AB 1985 will help empower local communities to reduce rates of hate crimes. This bill provides guidance for local law enforcement agencies to update and strengthen their policies on hate crimes, focusing on recognizing hate crimes when they have occurred, engaging in appropriate response given the targeted community and the broader community, and fostering a community environment that prevents future hate crimes and incidents from occurring.

18 – AB 2663 – Property Tax Equity for Same-Sex Partners

Year: 2018

Category: Family, Social/Political, Housing

Bill Description:

This bill would provide retroactive relief to individuals who were registered as domestic partners in municipal jurisdictions and may have had their property taxes increased due to the death of a partner. AB 2663 seeks to bring equity to locally registered domestic partners who may not have registered with the state during a certain time period and ensure they can continue to afford their homes.

18 – AB 2684 – LGBTQ Family Law Modernization Act of 2018

Year: 2018

Category: Social/Political, Family

Bill Description:

The LGBTQ Family Law Modernization Act of 2018 would modernize and eliminate significant inequalities in California family law to ensure that LGBTQ parents and their children have access to the same protections as any other families.

18 – AB 2291 – Online Anti-Bullying Training for Teachers and School Staff

Year: 2018

Category: Educational, Social/Political

Bill Description:

AB 2291 requires public schools to provide online training annually on the dynamics of bullying and cyberbullying to teachers and school staff. It would also require the California Department of Education to post this online training module along with other available online trainings to its internet website.

18 – AB 2639 – Suicide Prevention Training for Teachers and School Staff

Year: 2018

Category: Social/Political, Housing

Bill Description:

This bill requires schools to review and, if necessary, update their student suicide prevention policies at a minimum of every five years. These policies already need to include a focus on high-risk populations, including LGBTQ youth, under existing law. AB 2639 will ensure that these policies are reviewed regularly and kept up-to-date.

18 – AB 2719 – Recognizing the Needs of LGBTQ Older Adults

Year: 2018

Category: Social/Political, Medical

Bill Description:

This bill will ensure that LGBTQ older adults are recognized as a population in need of special attention, and that they can access the services and support they need to maintain their health and live their lives with dignity.

18 – AB 2490 – Increasing Access to Identification for People Experiencing Homelessness

Year: 2018

Category: Social/Political, Housing, Family

Bill Description:

AB 2490 eliminates fees charged to people experiencing homelessness seeking to obtain certified birth certificates directly from the state. Many Californians experiencing homelessness live in counties that are not the county of their birth, and some may be unsure of their county of birth. LGBTQ young people experiencing homelessness in particular often travel to major California cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles to find acceptance, which could be a long distance from their county of birth. For some of these individuals, communicating with or even locating their county of birth to request a birth certificate is a significant hurdle. LGBTQ young people are particularly likely to be experiencing homelessness as a result of family rejection, which can make it unsafe for them to return to their former homes to gain access to their identifying documents.

18 – SB 918 – Establishing Services for Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Year: 2018

Category: Housing, Social/Political

Bill Description:

Four out of ten young people experiencing homelessness in California’s major cities identify as LGBTQ. SB 918 will help provide resources for housing, services and supports for youth experiencing homelessness and tasks the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (Council) with oversight. Under SB 918, the Council will be responsible for setting statewide goals and outcome measures and evaluating the effectiveness of programs in reaching those goals to meet the needs of young people experiencing homelessness.

18 – AB 2504 – LGBTQ Cultural Competency Training for Law Enforcement Officers

Year: 2018

Category: Social/Political, Workplace

Bill Description:

LGBTQ people face higher rates of hate crimes and incidents, bias-based violence, harassment at the hands of law enforcement, and discrimination within the criminal justice system compared to the general population. AB 2504 requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (CPOST) to develop LGBTQ-specific training for peace officers and dispatchers. Improving peace officers’ ability to communicate with and serve members of the LGBTQ community will assist them in responding appropriately to situations that involve LGBTQ people, with understanding and acceptance. AB 2504 will not only educate peace officers about the LGBTQ community and build more inclusive working environments, it will create new opportunities for dialog between law enforcement officers and the marginalized communities they serve.