June 13, 2011

Imposing LGBT “Pride”

by Rebecca Burgoyne, 
CFC Research Analyst


In recent years, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people have celebrated the month of June as Gay Pride Month. June marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which activists consider the beginning of the modern LGBT “civil-rights’” movement. On June 28, 1969, patrons of the Stonewall Inn, a homosexual bar in New York City, fought back when the inn was raided by police. 

Many California legislators have not hesitated to promote homosexual rights, evidenced by the increasing number of bills that not only advance special rights for homosexuals, but also impose an acceptance of that lifestyle on society and culture. Last week, Senators Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) and Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) introduced Senate Resolution (SR) 18, which urges all California residents to celebrate “the culture, accomplishments, and contributions” of LGBT people and “work to advance the cause” of their equality during the month of June. Resolutions do not have the force of law, nor are they subject to the usual legislative calendar deadlines. Resolutions serve only to express the collective opinion of the Legislature, although resolutions can be passed by a simple majority of 50% plus one. Other resolutions this session include Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 22 (School Bullying Prevention Month) and ACR 6 (Human Trafficking) – both of which have been adopted – and Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 2, which would urge the President and the Congress to end the policy of fining homosexual military members dismissed under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
  • Read Gov. Jerry Brown’s LGBT Pride Month Proclamation.
  • Read Pres. Barack Obama’s LGBT Pride Month Proclamation.

Many other bills advancing special rights for LGBT citizens are being scheduled for hearing in their second-house policy (subject-matter) committees. To express your opinion on any of the bills that CFC is watching, visit our legislative action center and click on the individual bill.
 
Weekend Budget “Drill”

With the constitutional deadline for the Legislature to pass the state budget quickly approaching, Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D, Sacramento) announced last week that the Senate would begin daily budget sessions and work throughout the weekend (drawing per diem at taxpayers’ expense). Failing to find the four needed Republicans to vote for a “tax bridge” to extend taxes until voters can have their say, Senate Democrats passed SB 23 1X (language originally contained in SB 653), which would extend taxing authority to county governments and school districts. While senators checked in on Saturday and Sunday, it was apparent that the impasse continued. Gov. Jerry Brown returned to YouTube on Sunday and repeated his promise not to raise taxes without a vote of the people. However, the plan currently under consideration in the Senate would immediately extend the taxes for a year, dependent upon Governor Brown’s courage to follow through with a veto. If allowed to go into law, a vote of the people next year would need to approve it. But Californians would still end up paying additional taxes for a year. It is this “tax bridge” to which Republicans object.

 
Bill Hearings This Week
AB 12 (Swanson, D-Oakland) Abolition of Child Commerce, Exploitation
Passed Assembly Public Safety Committee 7-0
Passed Assembly 78-0
Senate Public Safety Committee
June 14, 2011

AB 433 (B. Lowenthal, D-Long Beach) Transgender Birth Certificates
Passed Assembly Judiciary Committee 7-3
Passed Assembly 52-22
Passed Senate Judiciary Committee 4-1
Senate floor; may be voted upon any time

AB 499 (Atkins, D-San Diego) Minors: Medical Care:Consent
Assembly Health Committee 13-5
Passed Assembly Judiciary Committee 7-2
Passed Assembly 50-25
Senate Judiciary Committee
June 14, 2011

AB 746 (Campos, D-San Jose) Cyberbullying
Passed Assembly Education Committee 7-1
Passed Assembly 53-5
Passed Senate Education Committee 9-1
Senate floor; may be voted upon any time

AB 799 (Swanson, D-Oakland) Commercially Sexually Exploited Minors
Passed Assembly Public Safety Committee 7-0
Passed Assembly 62-0
Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 6-0
Senate floor; may be voted upon any time

AB 887 (Atkins, D-San Diego) Gender
Passed Assembly Judiciary Committee 7-3
Passed Assembly Appropriations Committee 12-5
Passed Assembly 54-24
Senate Judiciary Committee
June 14, 2011

SB 117 (Kehoe, D-San Diego) Public Contracts: Prohibiting “Discrimination” Based on Gender or Sexual Orientation
Passed Senate Governmental Organization Committee 7-5
Senate Judiciary Committee 3-2
Passed Senate 21-15
Assembly Business, Professions, and Consumer Protection Committee
June 14, 2011


Week of June 20, 2011
AB 9 (Ammiano, D-San Francisco) Pupil Rights: Bullying
Passed Assembly Education Committee 7-3
Passed Assembly Appropriations Committee as amended 12-5
Passed Assembly 52-26
Senate Education Committee
June 22, 2011

AB 13 (Knight, R-Palmdale) Public School Volunteers
Passed Assembly Education Committee 6-3
Passed Assembly Appropriations Committee 10-1
Passed Assembly 60-6
Senate Education Committee
June 22, 2011

AB 225 (Nielsen, R-Redding) Child Custody: Ex Parte Orders
Passed Assembly Judiciary Committee 10-0
Passed Assembly Appropriations Committee 17-0
Passed Assembly floor 78-0
Senate Judiciary Committee
June 21, 2011

AB 620 (Block, D-San Diego) GLBT Rights: Postsecondary Education
Passed Assembly Higher Education Committee 6-2
Passed Assembly Appropriations Committee 12-5
Passed Assembly 51-24
Senate Education Committee
June 22, 2011

AB 1174 (Furitani, D-Long Beach) Disturbance of School Activities
Passed Assembly Education Committee 6-3
Passed Assembly Appropriations Committee 12-5
Passed Assembly floor 51-25
Senate Public Safety Committee
June 21, 2011

SB 381 (Pavley, D-Santa Monica) School Attendance: Residency Requirements
Passed Senate Education Committee 9-0
Passed Senate 37-0
Assembly Education Committee
June 22, 2011

SB 651 (Leno, D-San Francisco) Domestic Partnerships
Passed Senate Judiciary Committee 3-2
Passed Senate Appropriations Committee 6-2
Passed Senate 24-15
Assembly Judiciary Committee
June 21, 2011

SB 747 (Kehoe, D-San Diego) LGBT Sensitivity Training for Health Care Providers
Passed Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee 6-2
Passed Senate Appropriations Committee 6-3
Passed Senate 25-12
Assembly Business, Professions, and Consumer Protection Committee
June 21, 2011

SB 919 (Lieu, D-Redondo Beach) Sexting
Passed Senate Education Committee 10-0
Senate Appropriations Committee; referred to Senate floor per Senate Rule 28.8
Passed Senate 38-0
Assembly Education Committee
June 22, 2011


Results June 6-June 10, 2011

AB 123 (Mendoza, D-Norwalk) School Safety: Disruption Threatening Pupils
Passed Assembly Public Safety Committee 6-0
Assembly Appropriations Committee 11-1
Passed Assembly 55-19
Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 5-1
Senate Appropriations Committee

AB 177 (Mendoza, D-Norwalk) Juveniles: Parenting Class
Passed Assembly Public Safety Committee 6-0
Assembly floor 67-0
Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 6-0
Senate floor

AB 433 (B. Lowenthal, D-Long Beach) Transgender Birth Certificates
Passed Assembly Judiciary Committee 7-3
Passed Assembly 52-22
Passed Senate Judiciary Committee 4-1
Senate floor; may be voted upon any time

AB 673 (Perez, D-Los Angeles) Office of Multicultural Health: LGBT Communities
Passed Assembly Health Committee 12-5
Passed Assembly Appropriations Committee 12-5

Passed Assembly 49-24
Passed Senate Health Committee 6-3
Senate Appropriations Committee 

AB 746 (Campos, D-San Jose) Cyberbullying
Passed Assembly Education Committee 7-1
Passed Assembly 53-5
Passed Senate Education Committee 9-1
Senate floor; may be voted upon any time 

AB 799 (Swanson, D-Oakland) Commercially Sexually Exploited Minors
Passed Assembly Public Safety Committee 7-0
Passed Assembly 62-0
Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 6-0
Senate floor; may be voted upon any time 

AB 1364 (Campos, D-San Jose) Employment: Discrimination
Passed Assembly Labor and Employment Committee 5-0
Passed Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Committee 8-0
Passed Assembly Appropriations Committee 12-5
Passed Assembly 64-6
Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee; first hearing cancelled at author’s request