Equality California’s 2017 legislative wrap-up: Seven sponsored bills signed by governor

SACRAMENTO, Calif.— With his signature on Sunday of Senate Bill (SB) 179, authored by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), and SB 310 (Atkins), California Governor Jerry Brown has signed seven Equality California-sponsored bills, ending the 2017 legislative session and bringing the total number of resolutions and bills successfully sponsored…

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HRC: ‘Disturbing and sickening’ that Trump ‘jokes’ about Pence wanting to kill LGBTQ people

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), has responded to a report that Donald Trump “joked” about Mike Pence wanting to hang LGBTQ people. HRC President Chad Griffin said of the New Yorker anecdote, “It’s disturbing and sickening that Donald Trump would ‘joke’ about Mike Pence wanting to ‘hang them all’ in reference to…

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SAGE honors friends and supporters of LGBT elders at annual gala

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Monday, SAGE, the nation’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT elders, held its 22nd Annual Awards & Gala, which celebrated SAGE’s national achievements and honored three leaders. SAGE also offered a moving tribute to beloved hero and pioneer Edie Windsor and announced the renaming of SAGE…

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In new court filing, GLAD and NCLR refute Trump administration’s claims that no harms have resulted from the transgender military ban

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Monday, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) hit back at the Trump administration’s defense of its transgender service ban in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. NCLR and GLAD filed a brief refuting last week’s Trump Administration claims that no harms have resulted…

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Gov. Brown signs bill requiring drunk driving prevention training for bartenders

SACRAMENTO, Calif – Gov. Jerry Brown Monday night signed a bill by California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) requiring bartenders to receive training that will help reduce drunk-driving accidents and other alcohol-related problems. Assemblywoman Gonzalez Fletcher authored the bill in the wake of a 2015 drunk-driving crash that killed two San Diego medical…

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Gloria bill to spur production of middle-income housing in San Diego signed by Gov. Brown

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A bill to produce  more units of affordable housing for middle-income earners in the City of San Diego as well as Santa Clara County has been signed into law by California Gov. Jerry Brown. AB 1637, authored by Assemblymember Todd Gloria(D-San Diego), grants new authority to the San Diego Housing Commission and…

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Third and final installment of Quentin Crisp’s autobiography to be published Nov. 21

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – MB Books, LLC, (MB Books) today announced that the third and final installment of Quentin Crisp’s autobiography, The Last Word, will be published worldwide Nov. 21, 2017. The publication date will coincide with the eighteen-year anniversary of Crisp’s passing, which occurred on November 21. The Last Word will be available in…

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Treasurer Chiang keeps sanctions in place against Wells Fargo

MENTO, Calif. – State Treasurer John Chiang announced today that he has decided to extend into a second year California’s financial sanctions against Wells Fargo & Company. The sanctions include the suspension of investments by the Treasurer’s Office in Wells Fargo securities; suspension of the use of the bank as a broker-dealer for purchase of investments,…

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UN rights office ‘deeply concerned’ over arrests of LGBT people in Azerbaijan, Egypt and Indonesia

NEW YORK, N.Y.— The United Nations human rights office on Friday expressed deep concern about a wave of arrests in Azerbaijan, Egypt and Indonesia of more than 180 people perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT), many of whom have reportedly been mistreated by law enforcement officials. “Arresting or detaining people based on…

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Gov. Brown signs Nonbinary Identification Option Bill

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Gov. Jerry Brown today signed SB 179, legislation authored by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) that will create a third gender marker on state-issued identification documents for people who identify as nonbinary or intersex. The bill will also streamline the process for transgender, intersex and nonbinary Californians to obtain identification documents that accurately…

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