On our most recent Network call several organizations shared information about bills that they're sponsoring, supporting, tracking, or opposing. This is a summary of the bills that were discussed on the call.

 

Ensures that if consumers visit in-network hospitals or facilities, they will pay in-network charges and co-pays for all the providers they encounter during their visit.

Health Access California is the sponsor

Requires all single-user toilet facilities in any business establishment, place of public accommodation, or government agency to be identified as all-gender toilet facilities.

Equality California, Transgender Law Center, and National Organization for Women are co-sponsors

AB 1732 Fact Sheet

AB 1732 Sample Letter

 

Provides requirements for a police officer in determining whether a minor is involved in certain commercial sex activity and if the minor is a human trafficking victim. Requires a record of such determination. Requires a report of any abuse or neglect to a county child welfare agency. Prohibits related arrests and allows the person to be adjudicated a dependent of the juvenile court. Enacts a plan that includes a child trafficking response protocol. Requires best practices to serve such victims.

 

Prevents non-essential state-funded travel to states that have enacted laws allowing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

Equality California and National Center for Lesbian Rights are co-sponsors

AB 1887 Fact Sheet

AB 1887 Sample Letter

 

Requires that schools participating in the Cal Grant Program certify that the school will not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

Equality California is the sponsor

AB 1888 Fact Sheet

AB 1888 Sample Letter

Adds recording and sharing videos of student fights as a reason for suspension or expulsion.

Our Family Coalition and The Los Angeles LGBT Center are opposing

 

Requires the governing board or body of a local educational agency that serves pupils in grades 7 to 12 to adopt a policy on pupil suicide prevention that specially addresses the needs of high-risk groups.

Equality California and the Trevor Project are co-sponsors

AB 2246 Fact Sheet

AB 2246 Sample Letter

 

Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to accept an application from In God We Trust--America, Inc. for a special interest license plate. 

Equality California is opposing

 

Requires health plans and insurers to provide consumers with information about the cost of their prescription drugs, specifically the cost to the patient through their co-pay, co-insurance or other cost-sharing; the amount paid by the health plan or insurer for the drug; and the cost of the drug in Canada, Germany, and Mexico, three countries that have various approaches to drug pricing compared to the United States.

Health Access California is the sponsor

AB 2436 Fact Sheet

AB 2436 Sample Letter

 

Requires the State Department of Education to develop a standard model to implement restorative justice practices on a school campus and to make the standard model available on the department's Internet Web site for use by any school district that chooses to implement restorative justice practices as part of its campus culture. Requires the Department to take specified actions to implement this bill's provisions, including consulting with school-based restorative justice practitioners. 

Our Family Coalition is supporting

 

Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene an advisory committee to provide general guidance on, and to make recommendations relating to the creation of model survey questions. The current School Climate Survey has one very inadequate question on sexual orientation and gender identity, and this could be an opportunity to collect better data in the schools.

Our Family Coalition is supporting

 

Includes engaging in an act of sexting, as an act for which a pupil may be suspended or expelled from school.

Our Family Coalition and The Los Angeles LGBT Center are opposing

 

Requires a medical care provider or person administering a test for HIV to inform people who test negative for HIV infection and are at high risk for HIV infection of the effectiveness and safety of all federal Food and Drug Administration-approved methods that prevent or reduce the risk of contracting HIV, including preexposure prophylaxis and postexposure prophylaxis.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center and AIDS Project Los Angeles are co-sponsors

AB 2640 Fact Sheet

AB 2640 Sample Letter

 

Requires licensing for therapeutic group homes to prevent institutional abuse. Would define private alternative youth treatment and education institutions and require them to obtain a license from the Department of Social Services and ensure youths' rights are protected.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center is the sponsor

SB 908 (Hernandez)  - Unreasonable Rate Increases

Requires individuals and small business owners to be notified if regulators have found the premium for a plan they choose is "unreasonable" or "unjustified" and be given an open enrollment period to find another plan.

Health Access California is the sponsor

SB 908 Fact Sheet

SB 908 Sample Letter

 

Requires the Department of Health Care Services to allow undocumented children who are currently enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente Child Health Program and who are eligible for Medi-Cal to maintain their current Kaiser coverage.

Health Access California is the sponsor

SB 977 Fact Sheet

SB 977 Sample Letter

 

Replaces references to a husband or wife under existing law with references to a spouse. Defines spouse and including domestic partner.

Equality California is the sponsor

 

Requires health plans and insurers to notify consumers and health care providers about patients' right to timely care and language assistance. Also requires insurers to include the toll-free number for the consumer call centers of DMHC and CDI  on the insurance card.

SB 1135 Fact Sheet

SB 1135 Sample Letter

Prohibits a person from being subjected to discrimination on the basis of sex in any program or activity conducted by a postsecondary educational institution that receives, or benefits from, state financial assistance or enrolls students who receive state student financial aid.  Limits the religious exemption from the Equity in Higher Education Act to certain educational programs and activities of a postsecondary educational institution that is controlled by a religious organization. The bill would specify that an individual who is denied equal rights or opportunities on the basis of gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation by a postsecondary educational institution that claims the Title IX exemption may seek appropriate remedies through civil action for violations of the Equity in Higher Education Act.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center is the sponsor

Would require that immigration detention facilities run by cities or counties abide by basic rights for LGBT people in detention, and ensures access to medical care (including HIV medication and hormone replacement therapy) for detainees.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center is supporting this bill.

Allows organ and tissue donation from HIV+ individuals to HIV+ individuals if certain conditions are satisfied.

Equality California is the sponsor

 

Authorizes the principal of each public school to deal with bullying at their own discretion.

Our Family Coalition and The Los Angeles LGBT Center are opposing