Immigration reform provides 250,000 LGBT immigrants a path to citizenship

WASHINGTON – The United States Senate has passed a bi-partisan immigration reform bill by a vote of 68-32.  The Senate’s immigration bill provides a pathway to citizenship for the more than a quarter million LGBT adults living in the U.S., and provides an expedited path to citizenship for undocumented LGBT youth who have lived in…

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LGBT advocacy and civil rights groups express disappointment at Supreme Court ruling on Voting Rights Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Supreme Court struck down a central part of the Voting Rights Act, invalidating crucial protections passed by Congress in 1965 and renewed four times in the decades since. The sharply divided decision will significantly reduce the federal government’s role in overseeing voting laws in areas with a history of discrimination…

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Delaware passes Gender Identity Non-Discrimination Act

DOVER, Del. — Delaware is set to become the 17th state to ban gender identity discrimination when the Senate voted 11-to-9 Wednesday to pass the Gender Identity Non-Discrimination Act.  The bill adds gender identity to the existing list of protected nondiscrimination categories, including race, age, religion and sexual orientation. It also allows for enhanced penalties under Delaware’s…

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House of Cards

dvd of the week If you don’t have Netflix, you probably missed their 13-episode original series about the cruel world of Washington politics, which was also easily the best thing on TV this year. Starring Kevin Spacey in his greatest role – which is saying a lot – he is supported by Robin Wright, Kate…

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‘San Diego Remembers’ to commemorate 1969 Stonewall Riots with celebration: June 28

SAN DIEGO — San Diego Remembers will commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots – the event that started the modern gay civil rights movement – with a celebration Friday, June 28, 7 p.m., at Babycakes in San Diego. The entire community is invited to the celebration to toast the civil rights gains that have occurred in the…

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California Senate moves to end discrimination-Youth Equality Act advances to Assembly

SACRAMENTO —  The Youth Equality Act (SB 323), designed to bring youth group tax exemptions in line with California’s existing non-discrimination laws, has passed the Senate with a vote of 27-9 making this the first LGBT rights bill to pass with a two-thirds majority in California history. The bill, authored by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Long…

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Council committee votes to limit political party’s contributions

A City Council committee voted 3-2 along party lines May 15 to limit political party contributions to $20,000 for citywide offices such as mayor and city ordinance and $10,000 to councilmember district elections. This was forwarded to the full City Council for consideration which means Democrats will outnumber Republicans following the election of a Democratic…

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