SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees advanced pro-equality legislation sponsored by Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, Thursday during the Committees’ suspense file hearings. The bills would support LGBTQ students, expand access to HIV prevention medication, end discrimination against LGBTQ young people with respect to the state’s Sex Offender Registry, protect transgender incarcerated individuals and fund services for youth experiencing homelessness.

“Today’s actions are just the latest example of California’s continued leadership in the fight for LGBTQ civil rights and social justice,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur.

“Each of these bills would advance the health and well-being of LGBTQ Californians, while paving the way for other states to follow in California’s footsteps. We’re grateful to both Committees for their support of these critical policy priorities.”

The following bills sponsored by Equality California were passed by the Assembly Appropriations Committee and will now advance to the Assembly floor for a vote:

• AB 493: Safe and Supportive Schools Act of 2019 by Asm. Todd Gloria (D-San Diego)
  AB 493 will require California school districts to provide teachers and other certificated staff with the tools and training they need — and want — to better support their LGBTQ students and create safer school environments. Public school teachers and staff are on the front lines of providing a safety net against the effects of discrimination and lack of acceptance for the LGBTQ community, which can result in higher dropout rates, lower economic success and a number of other disparities in health and well-being that LGBTQ people continue to face. Equality California is cosponsoring AB 493 with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

• SB 159: PrEP and PEP Access Expansion by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Asm. Todd Gloria (D-San Diego)
  SB 159 will reduce barriers to accessing critical life-saving HIV prevention medications. This legislation will authorize pharmacists to furnish a 30-day supply of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and a full 28-day course of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to patients without a doctor’s prescription. Pharmacists are already authorized to furnish birth control pills without a prescription. The legislation will also prohibit insurance companies from requiring patients to obtain prior authorization before using their insurance benefits to obtain PrEP or PEP. Equality California is cosponsoring SB 159 with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, California Pharmacists Association, APLA Health and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

The Assembly Appropriations Committee held AB 650 (Low – LGBTQ Mortality Data) and AB 758 (Carrillo – Strengthening California’s Equal Pay Act), both cosponsored by Equality California, in committee. For a complete list of Equality California’s 2019 sponsored legislation, visit eqca.org/legislation.