CALIFORNIA STATE BILLS
AB 14: Civil Rights Act of 2007 – John Laird (D-Monterey/Santa Clara/Santa Cruz). AB 14 prohibits state funding for any program that does not support transsexuality, bisexuality, or homosexuality. This means state-funded social services operated by churches and other houses of faith, which provide essential services to children and adults, will lose their funding if they teach against these behaviors. Legislative Support: Equality California, California State Conference of the NAACP, AIDS Project Los Angeles, American Association of University Women, American Civil Liberties Union, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District IX/CA American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Anti-Defamation League, API Equality-Los Angeles, Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality, Asian Law Caucus, Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, California Association of Nonprofits, California Church IMPACT, California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, California NOW, California Professional Firefighters, California State Employees Association, California Teachers Association, Center for AIDS Research, Education, and Services, City of West Hollywood, Civil Justice Association of California, Consumer Attorneys of California, Developmental Disability Area Board 10, Disability Rights Legal Center, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services, Inc., Gay-Straight Alliance Network, Human Rights/Fair Housing Commission of the City and County of Sacramento, Inland Counties Stonewall Democrats, Lambda Letters Project, National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter, People for the American Way, Protection and Advocacy, Inc., San Jose-Evergreen Community College District, Transgender Law Center. Legislative Opposition: California Catholic Conference, California Family Council, Capitol Resource Institute, Pacific Justice Institute. Status: Signed by the Governor on Oct. 12.
AB 16: Pupil immunizations: human papillomavirus vaccine - Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) This bill originally would require that on and after July 1, 2009, that private and public schools be prohibited from unconditionally admitting or advancing any female pupil to the 7th grade level of any of those institutions unless the pupil has received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. This bill was amended on April 11 to prohibit a governing board from unconditionally admitting a pupil unless prior to his or her first admission, the pupil has been fully immunized in accordance with recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Thus the bill now requires that the State of California mandate all vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which has already approved the HPV vaccination for girls as young as 11. The ACIP is a federal government bureaucracy that consists of "15 experts in fields associated with immunization." AB 16 will remove legislative approval of mandatory immunizations and place it in the hands of a state government bureaucrat: the State Public Health Officer, appointed by the governor. The new State Public Health Officer will have complete control over which vaccinations, recommended by the ACIP, will be mandated. By completely removing the legislature from the process, a single unelected official will now have complete control over which vaccinations are required for our children. Parents will no longer have a voice, via their elected representative, on which mandatory vaccinations are required under state law. Legislation Support: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District IX, California, American Federation of Sate, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO,California Association for Nurse Practitioners,California Medical Association,California Nurse Midwives Association, California State Conference of the NAACP, Lambda Letters Project, NARAL Pro-Choice, California National Council of La Raza. Legislation Opposition: California Catholic Conference (unless amended), California Right to Life Committee, Inc., Capitol Resource Institute, California Family Council, California Federation of Republican Women, Concerned Women for America, Pro-Family Law Center, Traditional Values Coalition, Three individuals. Status: This bill has passed in the Senate but was held in committee in the Assembly.
AB 43: Gender-neutral marriage - Mark Leno (D-San Francisco). Existing law provides that marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between a man and a woman. Existing law provides for the issuance of marriage licenses and imposes duties on county clerks in that connection, as specified. Existing law, enacted by initiative measure, further provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in this state. This bill would enact the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, which would instead provide that marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between 2 persons. The bill would make conforming changes with regard to the consent to, and solemnization of, marriage, and would make related findings and declarations. Numerous organizations in Support and Opposition. Listing can be found on the Legislative Analyst's Website by clicking here. Status: This bill was passed but vetoed by the Governor.
AB 374: California Compassionate Choices Act - Patty Berg (D - Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma), Lloyd Levine (D - Van Nuys), and Fabian Nunez (D – Los Angeles). This bill would authorize an adult who has been determined to be suffering from a terminal disease, as defined, to make a request for medication prescribed pursuant to this bill to provide comfort with an assurance of peaceful dying if suffering becomes unbearable. The bill would establish procedures for making these requests. The bill would require that nothing in its provisions be construed to authorize ending a patient's life by lethal injection, mercy killing, or active euthanasia, and would provide that action taken in accordance with the act shall not constitute suicide or homicide. Legislation Support: Compassion & Choices (sponsor), AIDS Project Los Angeles, American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Medical Students Association, American Medical Women's Association, Autonomy, Inc, California Alliance for Consumer Protection, California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG), California National Organization for Women, California Seniors Coalition, California State Treasure Bill Lockyer, Commission on Aging, Compassion & Choices, Conference of Delegates of the California Bar Association, Congress of California Seniors, Drug Policy Alliance Network, End-of-Life Choices, Equality California, Professor Erwin Chemerinsky, of Duke University School of Law, Gray Panthers, Lambda Letters Project, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), National Association of Social Workers, National Council of Jewish Women, Older Women's League of California, Physicians for Compassionate Choices, Republicans for Compassionate Choices, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, Numerous Individuals. Legislation Opposition: ADAPT, Northern California, ADAPT, Southern California, Alliance of Catholic Health Care, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT), Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), Berkeley Commission on Disability, California Association for Health Services at Home’ California Catholic Conference, California Chapter of TASH (CalTASH), California Disability Alliance (CDA), California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC), California Medical Association, California Right to Life Committee, Inc., Californians for Disability Rights (CDR), Communities Actively Living Independent and Free (CALIF), Concerned Women for America of California (CWA), Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), Disability Rights, Enforcement, Education Services (DREES), FREED Center for Independent Living, H. Rex Greene, M.D., Independent Living Center of Southern California (ILCSC), Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco (ILRCSF), Independent Living Services of Northern California (ILSNC), Justice for All (JFA), National Council on Disability (NCD), National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), National Spinal Cord Injury Association, Not Dead Yet - California chapter, Oakland Mayors Commission on Human Relations, Petition signatures from 32,931 individuals through the Scholl Institute of Bioethics, Placer Independent Resource Services, Inc., Redding Christian Medical & Dental Associations, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, TASH, The Oaks Group, Traditional Values Coalition, World Association of Persons with Disabilities (WAPD), World Institute on Disability (WID), Numerous Individuals. Status: This bill was to be voted on by the full Assembly June 8 but was moved to their inactive file because of growing opposition. The bill is "dead" for this session.
AB 675: School safety: School Against Violence (SAV) Emergency Response Project - Mike Eng (D - El Monte). Rewritten in the wake of the tragic Virginia Tech killings, this bill would establish the School Against Violence (SAV) Emergency Response Project "for the purpose of promoting school safety and reducing school site violence." However, this legislation uses the national tragedy to advance a political agenda. Specifically, the bill would require schools to "develop education and training programs designed to prevent and reduce the incidence of crimes, violence, and conflicts motivated by hate." Unfortunately, the state most often views Christianity as "hateful" and religious students are considered intolerant or hateful for expressing their beliefs. If this legislation was truly designed to protect students from violence, it would focus on safety, not on indoctrination. Status: Committee hearing cancelled in April 2007 and is most likely "dead" for this session.
AB 1511: Sexual health: Family Communication Public Education Campaign - Mark Leno (D - San Francisco). This "Government Sex Education for Parents" bill establishes a continuing public education program that “provides parenting adults with the knowledge, understanding, and communication skills necessary to talk with their children about sex and sexuality.” It arrogantly assumes that lawmakers know better than parents how to educate children about sex. Legislation Support : NARAL Pro-Choice California (Sponsor), American Civil Liberties Union , American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District IX, CA, American Federation of State and County Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice, California Coalition for Youth, California Commission on the Status of Women, California Family Health Council, Inc., California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, California Nurse-Midwives Association, California Primary Care Association, Children NOW, Community Clinic Consortium, Law Students for Choice, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, National Center for Youth Law, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, Inc., Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties, Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo Counties, Inc. Legislation Opposition: 29 individuals. Status: This bill passed in the Assembly and as of August 30 was being held in the Senate.
SB 11: Domestic partnerships - Carole Migden (D-San Francisco). Existing law provides that 2 unmarried, unrelated adults with a common residence may establish a domestic partnership by filing a declaration with the Secretary of State if both persons are members of the same sex or are over 62 years of age. This bill would delete that latter same-sex or age eligibility requirement, thereby allowing any 2 persons who meet the other, specified criteria to register as domestic partners. The bill would also make a nonsubstantive, technical, and conforming change to an unrelated provision. Legislation Support : City of Berkeley, California Commission on Status of Women, California National Organization for Women, California Nurses Association, California School Employees Association , California State Employees Association, California Teachers Association, City of West Hollywood, Congress of California Seniors, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Equality California, Lambda Letters Project, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, City and County of San Francisco. Legislation Opposition: Association of California Water Agencies, California Catholic Conference, Capitol Resource Institute, California Right to Life Committee, Concerned Women for America, a few individuals. Status: This bill passed in the Senate and as of September 11, was held in the Assembly.
SB 94: Medi-Cal Reimbursement Rates - Sheila Kuehl (D-Los Angeles/Oxnard). This bill awards an additional $3.2 million in taxpayer funds to abortionists through Medi-Cal reimbursements. California is one of 14 states that uses taxpayer funds for abortions. Previous years have budgeted $40 million dollars for this. The budget for this year was increased to $60 million to make up for a loss of Federal Funds. Since the State refused to provided statitical data to the Federal Government, the State was denied the $20 million in Federal Medi-Care funds for abortions. This bill adds this additional amount at the request of the supporting sponsors. Legislation Support : Planned Parenthood of California, California Academy of Family Physicians. Legislation Opposition: California Catholic Conference, Capitol Resource Institute, California Right to Life Committee. Status: This bill was signed by the Governor on October 12.
SB 777: Discrimination - Sheila Kuehl (D-Los Angeles/Oxnard) This legislation would ban any textbooks, teaching or activities in schools that "reflect adversely" upon homosexuals, transgenders, bisexuals, and those with gender (perceived or actual) issues. SB 777 specifically places in law what last session's SB 1441 was intended to accomplish: preventing any public funds, including Cal Grants, from going to "discriminatory" Christian colleges and universities. This bill is almost identical to last session's SB 1437 that was vetoed by the Governor.
According to the language of the bill: “No teacher shall give instruction nor shall a school district sponsor any activity that promotes a discriminatory bias because of” gender, sexual orientation (actual or perceived). This means that any teaching regarding traditional families would be discriminatory. Any activities such as having a prom king and queen or gender-specific bathrooms would also be considered discriminatory. This bill was implement policies already in place at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) www.transgenderlaw.org/college/la.pdf issued Feb. 2005. Legislation Support: Equality California (source), Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality, Anti-Defamation League, Ally Action, Bienestar Human Services, California Teachers Association, Carruthers High School, Children of Lesbian and Gays Everywhere, Gay and Gender Research, Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services, Inc., Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, Gay Straight Alliance Network, Hillcrest Youth Center for the San Diego LGBT Community Center, Inland County Stonewall Democrats, Lambda Letters Project, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Our Family Coalition, Planned Parenthood, Project 10, Transgender Law Center . Legislation Opposition: California Catholic Conference, California Family Council, Capitol Resource Institute, Concerned Women for America, Michael McDermott (Men's Civil Rights Advocate). Status: This bill was signed by the Governor on Oct. 12.
FEDERAL BILLS
HR 3 - Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 - Diana DeGette (D-CO): This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research. It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells, regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from a human embryo, provided such embryos: (1) have been donated from in vitro fertilization clinics; (2) were created for the purposes of fertility treatment; (3) were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment and would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded (as determined in consultation with the individuals seeking fertility treatment); and (4) were donated by such individuals with written informed consent and without any financial or other inducements. Status: This bill passed in the House and is now in the Senate.
HR 464 - Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act of 2007 - Steven R. Rothman (D-NJ): This bill prohibits any federal funds from being provided to a hospital under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act or to a state, with respect to hospital services, under title XIX (Medicaid) of such Act, unless the hospital meets certain conditions related to a woman who is a victim of sexual assault, including that the hospital: (1) provides the woman with accurate and unbiased information about emergency contraception; (2) offers emergency contraception to the woman; (3) provides the woman such contraception at the hospital on her request; and (4) does not deny any such services because of the inability of the woman or her family to pay. This bill requires faith based, e.g., Catholic, hospitals to dispense abortifacients and other medications/procedures that end in an abortion of an unborn child. Status: This bill is in the House Subcommittee on Health.
HR 493 - Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007 - Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-NY). This bill prohibits discrimination by group health plans and health insurance issuers in the group and individual markets on the basis of genetic information or services to a person who may be disabled. As currently written this protection does not apply to an unborn child with a disability. Status: This bill has passed in the House and is now in the Senate.
HR 1964 - Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) - Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), plus 71 Congressional Co-Sponsors (70 Democrats and 1 Republican - Co-Sponsors from California are all democrats and include: Mike Thompson, Doris Matsui, Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee, Tom Lantos, Fortney Stark, Michael Honda, Sam Farr, Lois Capps, Howard Berman, Henry Waxman, Hilda Solis, Diane Watson, Jane Harman, Linda Sanchez, Bob Filner & Susan Davis). In response to the April 18 U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, prominent Democratic members of Congress the next day reintroduced the so-called Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), a proposed federal law to nullify virtually all federal and state limitations on abortion. Similar bill introduced in the Senate, S 1173. Status: As of May 2007 this bill is in the House subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
S 5 -Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 - Harry Reid (D-NV): This bill is the Senate version of HR 3. It amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells, regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from a human embryo. Limits such research to stem cells that meet the following ethical requirements: (1) the stem cells were derived from human embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics for the purpose of fertility treatment and were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment; (2) the embryos would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded; and (3) such individuals donate the embryos with written informed consent and receive no financial or other inducements. Status: This bill passed in both the Senate (63 - 34) and House (247 - 176) and then was vetoed by the President on June 20, 2007.
S 358 -Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007 - Olympia Snowe (D-ME): This bill is the Senate version of HR 4643. This bill prohibits discrimination by group health plans and health insurance issuers in the group and individual markets on the basis of genetic information or services to a person who may be disabled. As currently written this protection does not apply to an unborn child with a disability. Status: This bill passed out of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in April 2007.
S 1173 - Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) - Barbara Boxer (D-California), plus 15 Senate Co-Sponsors (all Democrats: Max Baucus - MT; Jeff Bingaman - NM; Maria Cantwell - WA; Benjamin Cardin - MD; Hillary Clinton - NY; Dianne Feinstein - CA;, Fran Lautenberg - NJ; Joseph Lieberman - CT; Robert Menedez - NJ; Barbara Mikulski - MD; Patty Murray - WA; Bernard Sanders - VT; Charles Schumer - NY; Debbie Stabenow - MI; Jon Tester - MT ). In response to the April 18 U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, prominent Democratic members of Congress the next day reintroduced the so-called Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), a proposed federal law to nullify virtually all federal and state limitations on abortion. Similar bill introduced in the House of Representatives, HR 1964. Status: As of April 2007 this bill was sent to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
