Program areas at Equality California
Working closely with lgbtq+ state legislators and allies, Equality California advocated at the state capitol for policies to create a safer school climate for lgbtq+ students, ensure that lgbtq+ foster youth are placed in homes that support and affirm their identities, establish additional legal protections for health care providers who offer abortion or gender-affirming care, improve access to medications for hiv prevention, and more. Seven of our sponsored bills were signed into law by governor gavin newsom, reinforcing California's standing as a national leader in protecting the lgbtq+ community.
As Nevada's politics become more progressive, the outlook for enacting legislation protecting the lgbtq+ community continues to be attainable. Silver state Equality shepherded six bills through the Nevada legislature, five of which were signed by the governor: protections for incarcerated trans people, insurance coverage for gender-affirming care, adolescent access to affirmative care, marriage certificate name change, and hiv modernization.
Although 2023 was not an election year, the political team endorsed out lgbtq+ candidates in three special elections and began the process of endorsing pro-equality candidates in advance of the 2024 march primary election. The political team also partnered with local organizations and continued to register new voters, with a focus on increasing youth voter registration. Additionally, the organization increased the permanent staffing for the political team to support ongoing civic engagement and political work.
Efforts in Washington dc and all other programs - in Washington, dc, Equality California advanced lgbtq+ Equality by advocating for federal legislative, regulatory and tax policy. Working alongside our national partner organizations, we secured votes and co-sponsorship from members of the congressional democrats from California and Nevada for nearly 20 bills, ranging from proposals related to reproductive rights and gender Equality, access to healthcare and prep, immigration, safe and affirming schools, gun violence prevention, support for lgbtq+ service members and veterans, hate crimes and discrimination, and the inclusion of voluntary questions about sexual orientation and gender identity on all federal forms.