2023 Legislative & Budget Priorities
Priority Legislation
AB 5 (Zbur) – The Safe and Supportive Schools Program.
This bill would set implementation timelines for LGBTBQ+ cultural competency training required for teachers and other credentialed faculty members.
AB 223 (Ward) – Change of Gender and Sex Identifier.
Requires any petition for a change of gender and sex identifier by a minor to be filed under seal.
AB 369 (Zbur) – Foster care: independent living.
This bill would require the updating and expanding of Independent Living Program (ILP) across counties as well as extend the age for all eligible children to be served by the ILP to include ages up 23 years. This bill would also allow nonminor dependents to retain resources consistent with federal law and authorize a nonminor dependent reentering foster care with a cash savings greater than what is allowed to receive aid in the form of state AFDC-FC.
AB 994 (Jackson) – Law enforcement: social media.
In the case that the police department shares a booking photo of an individual, then this bill would require the department to use the name and pronouns provided by that individual. This bill also prevents the police department from sharing booking photos of an individual on social media after said individual has already been detained, unless under specified circumstances.
AB 1078 (Jackson) – Instructional materials and curriculum: diversity.
This bill makes various changes to the requirements on local school governing boards regarding the adoption of instructional materials for use in schools
AB 1522 (Cervantes) – Developmental centers: advisory boards. Strengthens LGBTQ+ foster youth exit planning.
Requires the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to convene a workgroup to create a report with recommendations to prevent housing instability among (LGBTQ+) youth in foster care.
AB 1645 (Zbur) – Care coverage: cost sharing.
This bill would prohibit health care service plan contract or policy from imposing any cost limits such as cost-sharing requirements for any services integral to an STI screening as well as restrict nonparticipating providers from billing or collecting a cost-sharing amount from an insured patient for an STI screening.
ACA 5 (Low) – Marriage Equality
Amend the California Constitution as relating to marriage equality.
SB 11 (Menjivar) – California State University: mental health counseling.
This bill would require each CSU campus to comply with various requirements on mental health counseling, including having one full-time equivalent California-licensed mental health counselor per 1,500 students enrolled and developing a telehealth mental health counseling service that provides students access to counseling 24/7.
SB 339 (Wiener) – HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis.
This bill would authorize a pharmacist to furnish up to a 90-day course of preexposure prophylaxis, or preexposure prophylaxis beyond a 90-day course. This bill would also require a health care service plan and health insurer to cover preexposure prophylaxis furnished by a
pharmacist, including costs for the pharmacist's services and related testing.
SB 372 (Menjivar) – Department of Consumer Affairs: licensee and registrant records: name and gender changes.
Requires the board to record any updates of a legal name or gender change of a business licensee or registrant.
SB 407 (Wiener) – Foster care: placement.
Ensures that LGBTQ+ foster youth in California are placed in homes that are accepting of LGBTQ+ identities.
SB 456 (Menjivar & Wiener) – Multifamily Housing Program.
This bill would instead require that at least 8 percent of the specified funds be available for units, rather than projects, serving homeless youth or youth at risk of homelessness. The bill would also specify that nonprofit corporations that provide emergency shelter or transitional housing are eligible to receive grants for housing projects solely serving homeless youth, youth at risk of experiencing homelessness, or current/former foster youth.
SB 541 (Menjivar) – Sexual health: contraceptives: immunization.
Requires all public schools to provide condoms to all students, free of charge.
SB 729 (Menjivar) – Health care coverage: treatment for infertility and fertility services.
Require health care services to provide coverage for infertility and fertility services. Revises the definition of infertility to ensure same-sex couples are covered by health care insurance and are treated without discrimination.
SB 857 (Laird) – Advisory task force: LGBTQ+ pupil needs.
This bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction, on or before July 1, 2024, to convene an advisory task force to identify the statewide needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and plus (LGBTQ+) pupils and to assist in implementing supportive policies and initiatives to address LGBTQ+ pupil education.
Endorsed Legislation
AB 659 (Aguiar-Curry) – Cancer Prevention Act.
Would add human papillomavirus (HPV) to the required list of disease immunization documentation for schools and other institutions. The bill would specifically prohibit the governing authority from advancing any student to the 8th grade level of any public or private elementary or secondary school if the pupil has not been fully immunized against HPV.
SB 760 (Newman) – School facilities: all-gender restrooms.
Requires schools (K-12) to provide at least one all-gender restroom for pupil use.
AB 783 (Ting) – Business licenses: single-user restrooms.
Requires cities to provide written notice to each applicant for a new or renewed business license that all single-user toilet facilities must be identified as all-gender toilet facilities.
AB 957 (Wilson) – Family law: gender identity.
Require court to strongly consider that affirming the minor's gender identity is within the best interest of the child even in the case of a nonconsenting parent objecting to a name/gender marker change.
SB 36 (Skinner) – Out-of-state criminal chargers: prosecution related to abortion, contraception, reproductive care, and gender-affirming care.
Strengthens safe haven protections by making it illegal for bail agents or bounty hunters to apprehend people in California who have left another state to avoid criminal prosecution or imprisonment related to that state's criminalization of abortion or gender-affirming care.
Priority Budget Requests (in alphabetical order)
California Coalition of Transgender Immigrants.
The funding will be divided into five programs to help bring equity, justice, and inclusion for
Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming, and Intersex (TGI) immigrants: (1) Trans Immigrant
Asylee Program; (2) Trans Entrepreneurship Program; (3) Trans Emerging Leadership Program; (4) Trans Intersectional Unity Program; (5) Trans Multicultural Artist Program. (One-Time General Fund cost of $2.55 million).
End the Epidemic – HIV/STI Prevention.
Funding to address California's ongoing HIV, Hepatitis C (HCV), Hepatitis B, and sexually transmitted disease (STD) epidemics. (One-Time General fund cost of $91 million).
LA Community College District – LGBTQ+ Pilot Project.
Funding to bolster safe spaces, learning communities, and other support services for LGBTQ+ individuals in community colleges across the state. (Ongoing Prop 98 $10 million).
Museum of Ancient Wonders -- LGBTQ+ World History Museum of Ancient Wonders.
Funding to be used to purchase The Desert Sun building to house the Museum of Ancient
Wonders, the LGBTQ+ World History Museum, and, potentially, the Museum of Science and Technology. The building acquisition costs $10 million and the remaining amount will go towards startup costs. (One-Time General Fund Cost of $11 million).
National AIDS Memorial – The Center for Health and Social Justice.
Funding will be used to build the Center for Health and Social Justice to host exhibitions on the history of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, social justice movements, and important modern day issues. Funds will also support staff salaries and benefits, as well as general operational costs. (OneTime General Fund for $1 million).
Raise-A-Child – Raise-A-Child Expansion.
Funding to accelerate its expansion of services throughout California. Funding will be utilized as follows: Recruitment Promotion Campaigns, Community Events & Engagement, Virtual Info/Orientation Sessions, and Technical Assistance & Support. (One-Time General Fund cost of $250,000).
TransLatina Coaltion – TGI Re-entry Services.
Funding to be distribution for the development of a community-based TGI reentry program for TGI serving organizations in critical areas across the state. (One-Time General Fund cost of $5 million).