Bill Making Identification Change More Accessible for Transgender Persons Passes Key Assembly Committee, Moves One Step Closer to Becoming State Law
Sacramento – The Equal ID Act took one step closer to becoming law today when it passed the State Assembly Judiciary Committee by a 7-3 vote. The bill, sponsored by Equality California (EQCA) and introduced by Assemblymember Ted Lieu (D – Torrance), increases the legal rights and recognition enjoyed by transgender people by clarifying that qualified transgender people born in California can return to the county of their birth to obtain a court order reflecting their correct gender and accompanying name change. The court order is then used to obtain a corrected California birth certificate.
“All Californians deserve legal documentation that accurately reflects who they are,” EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors said. “Once passed, this law will make it easier for transgender people both in California and beyond to obtain accurate identification, apply for jobs, and live their lives as full and equal members of society.”
Until recently, California law only allowed transgender persons to petition the court for an order recognizing a change of gender in the county in which they presently reside. Last month, the Transgender Law Center successfully challenged the residency requirement in the California Court of Appeals. In Somers v. Superior Court, the court held that the residency requirement violated the equal protection rights of California-born transgender people residing out of state. The Equal ID Act is the next step in ensuring that all Californians are able to obtain accurate birth certificates.
“The Equal ID Act would bring the Health and Safety Code up to date with case law,” said Kristina Wertz, Legal Director of the Transgender Law Center. “It would alleviate any confusion and ensure that California-born people residing in other states know that they, too, can be afforded the dignity of a birth certificate that reflects who they truly are.”
The new bill ensures that transgender people born in California know that they can return to the county of their birth to obtain a corrected birth certificate. It also provides greater access to transgender persons living in the state, allowing them for first time to petition the court in their home counties.
“The Equal ID Act would make it clear to others in my situation that they can go back to the counties in which they were born to get a court order changing their gender. It would save people all the trouble I went through finding attorneys and spending nearly four years in the courts,” said Gigi Marie Somers, who testified at this morning’s committee hearing. Ms. Somers, a transgender woman born in California, was unable to obtain a new birth certificate in the state of Kansas, where she now resides. Ms. Somers was the plaintiff in the legal action brought by the Transgender Law Center.
“The rights of Californians should not end at our state’s borders,” Assemblymember Leiu said. “The Equal ID Act makes certain every Californian has the freedom and liberty to be true to his or herself.”
Birth certificates are used as primary source of identification and are often necessary to secure other forms of identification, including social security cards and passports.
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Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender-rights advocacy organization in California. In the past decade, EQCA has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil-rights protections in the nation. EQCA has passed over 50 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org
The Transgender Law Center (TLC) is a civil rights organization advocating for transgender communities. TLC uses direct legal services, education, community organizing, and advocacy to transform California into a state that recognizes and supports the needs of transgender people and their families. www.transgenderlawcenter.org
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/bill-making-i…
California Assembly passes legislation that extends protections for the LGBT community
The bill, which will require prisons to include sexual orientation and gender identity when identifying prisoners who need protection, passed by an overwhelming margin of 65 to 9. 14 of the 29 Republican members voted for the legislation and 6 members abstained from the vote.
All of EQCA’s current legislation continues to pass their committees, including yesterday’s Assembly Judiciary Committee vote to make changing one’s gender identification more accessible for transgender persons and last week’s bipartisan vote in the Senate Education Committee to designate May 22 as Harvey Milk Day.
And this recent activity is evidence that the arc of equality always bends toward progress.
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/california-as…
URGENT CALIFORNIA ACTION ALERT: Call Legislature Now!
Anti-equality groups are currently flooding the Capitol with threatening phone calls demanding members of the Senate and Assembly Judiciary committees oppose the two resolutions to overturn Prop 8 when they come up for a vote on Tuesday. We cannot let their attacks and threats go unanswered! We need to make sure that legislators hear from those who support equality. Please call key members of the Senate and Assembly Judiciary Committeeswho have supported LGBT equality in the past (sample script and phone numbers are below). Ask them to support the resolutions to overturn Prop 8 to protect all minorities from the risk of losing their rights at the ballot box. If passed, the two EQCA-sponsored resolutions, SR 7 and HR 5, authored by two of our champions in the Legislature, Senator Mark Leno and Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, will put the California Legislature on record as supporting the invalidation of Prop 8, declaring it an illegal revision to the state constitution. This is our fourth of five actions leading up to our giant lobby day to overturn Prop 8 on Tuesday, the day of the vote, when over 2,000 activists will come together at the Capitol to urge their lawmakers to support these critical resolutions. Take Action Today! Call Now!
Sample Script Thank you for past support for equality. My name is [Your Name] and I am calling to ask for you to vote in favor of SR 7 / HR 5 because Prop 8 is a drastic and radical revision to the California Constitution that puts all Californians at risk. I believe in equal protection under the law and do not want a simple majority of voters to be able to take fundamental rights away from any minority. Thank you. [Your Name] If you live in Northern California, please call: Senate Judiciary Committee members (for SR 7) Assembly Judiciary Committee members (for HR 5) If you like in the Central Valley, please call: Senate Judiciary Committee members (for SR 7) Assembly Judiciary Committee members (for HR 5) If you live in Southern California, please call: Assembly Judiciary Committee members (for HR 5)
* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/02/urgent-califo…
Equality California to Bring Over 2,000 Californians to Sacramento for Lobby Day to Support the Invalidation of Prop 8
Equality California is sponsoring Lobby Day where a diverse group of volunteers and activists will urge legislators to support Equality California-sponsored companion resolutions SR 7 (Leno) and HR 5 (Ammiano), in the State Senate and Assembly. The resolutions would put the legislature on record as opposing Prop 8 as an invalid revision to the California Constitution. More than 2,000 volunteers have already registered to participate.
When: Tuesday, February 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
10:30 a.m.: Assembly judiciary committee hearing on HR 5
12:15 p.m. Rally
12:30 p.m. Senate Judiciary hearing on SR 7
1-4 p.m.: lobby visits
Where: California State Capitol, 10th Street and Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814
Who: Lobby day will bring together diverse civil rights and faith leaders, community members and allies from across the state and a number of elected officials, including Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), Senator Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles), State Assemblymember John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), and Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach).
Lobby Day will follow a series of coordinated actions supporting marriage for same-sex couples over President’s Day weekend. On Monday, February 16, EQCA will also co-sponsor a rally with Equality Action NOW, Marriage Equality USA, and California Outreach at the Capitol.
EQCA works to achieve equality and secure legal protections for LGBT people. To improve the lives of LGBT Californians, EQCA sponsors legislation and coordinates efforts to ensure its passage, lobbies legislators and other policy makers, builds coalitions, develops community strength and empowers individuals and other organizations to engage in the political process. www.eqca.org
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/02/equality-cali…
