From an LGB, but especially T perspective, there are three pieces of legislation that have been of interest to me, as well as Equality California (EQCA) and/or the Transgender Law Center (TLC).
The first is SB 1172, Limiting Sexual Orientation Conversion “Treatment” Act. According to Gov. Jerry Brown in his signing statement, “This bill bans non-scientific ‘therapies’ that have driven young people to depression and suicide. These practices have no basis in science or medicine, and they will now be relegated to the dustbin of quackery.”
Having received reparative therapy in the 1970s, I couldn’t agree more with Brown signing this bill into law.
The second is AB 1856, Providing Safe, Supportive Homes for LGBT Youth. The legislation requires that the existing training programs for foster youth caregivers include information related to cultural competency and best practices for LGBT youth.
As of this writing, Gov. Brown has neither signed nor vetoed this bill, but I anticipate he’ll sign this one.
The last piece of legislation was the Trust Act (AB 1081). AB 1081 reforms California’s participation in the federal government’s “Secure Communities” (S-Comm) program and will provide essential safeguards to address serious concerns raised over the program’s detrimental effects on public safety, community policing and civil liberties.
And beyond hate crimes, transgender people are disproportionately profiled by law enforcement. The Williams Institute and Bienestar recently released a report that indicated just under 70 percent of transgender Latina women report negative experiences with police. Some Latina trans women are deported after being picked up by police for walking to the bus stop and being profiled as trans sex workers – it’s an area where the interests of the trans community and immigrant community overlaps.
Gov. Brown vetoed the Trust Act, stating it was “fatally flawed,” taking away the discretion of sheriffs’ to comply with efforts to deport those convicted of serious felonies. His veto statement also stated that many of those who are picked up and sent back to their countries of origin are selling weapons and drug trafficking.
However, only a third of those who are returned to their country of origin are convicted of serious felonies – the rest are convicted of misdemeanors and previous immigration violations. In my opinion, this was a wrongheaded veto.
One, one and one. I’m hoping that the governor makes it two out of three soon.
