The state capitol is buzzing as we wait out the final days
for the Governor to sign bills into law. Below are a few bills we are
watching along with where they currently are in the legislative process.
SB 219 - signed by Governor Brown on 10/4/17
SB 219 forces biological female residents in long-term care
facilities to share sleeping quarters with biological males, and vice
versa. This bill grants preferential rights to LGBT residents and leaves
others with little to no right to privacy. This bill is ripe for abuse
as the requirement is simply to self-proclaim one's gender identity.
This bill could easily be used as a tool by perpetrators to prey upon
unsuspecting, vulnerable victims.
SB 219 also demands that facilities, such as restrooms, open
to persons of one gender must be available to those of the same gender
identity. This becomes especially problematic when facilities, such as
bathrooms, are multiple use.
This bill demands that facility staff use a person's
"preferred pronoun," but how does staff know what the preferred pronoun
is? Can this change during the resident's time in the facility? Staff
who do not address patients by their preferred pronoun could be found
guilty of a misdemeanor.
SB 239 - signed by Governor Brown on 10/6/17
SB 239 lowers the penalty for knowingly and intentionally
exposing someone to HIV from a felony to a misdemeanor. Intentionally
exposing someone to a disease that if contracted will forever alter
their life is a serious wrong, and should be treated with the utmost
seriousness under the law. Lowering the penalty for this act does not do
that.
SB 179 - on Governor Brown's desk
SB 179 weakens,
essentially deletes, any requirements for an individual to change their
gender on their birth certificate. A person must submit an application
and an affidavit stating that they are submitting the change to conform
their legal gender with their gender identity and not for a fraudulent
purpose. An individual does not have to have undergone any treatment, be
planning to undergo treatment, or provide a doctor's note.
In addition, the application for an identification card from
the DMV would include the gender choices of male, female, and
non-binary. An applicant is not required to provide any information in
addition to the application.
Imagine the many problems that will result for law
enforcement officials from this free-for-all, self-identifying gender
selection. Trying to identify an individual would become increasingly
difficult if an individual's sex does not match what's listed on their
identification.
Call and ask Governor Brown to VETO SB 179:
(916) 445-2841
AB 569 - on Governor Brown's desk
AB 569 prohibits
employers from including in an employee handbook, or code of conduct,
anything related to reproductive health care decisions, including
abortion. For example, a church or a Christian school could not make it
against their code of conduct for women to obtain abortions during their
employment, even though it is contrary to that school's moral and
deeply held religious beliefs. This bill is a violent assault on
religious liberty, as well as massive government overreach.
Call and ask Governor Brown to VETO AB 569:
(916) 445-2841