Equality California-Sponsored Resolutions on Key Federal Policies Advance in California Legislature

Sacramento – Today, the Assembly Judiciary Committee passed three resolutions with a 6-3 vote of the committee on critical federal laws affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people: the U.S. Blood Donor Nondiscrimination Resolution (AJR 13), a resolution in support of the Uniting American Families Act (AJR 15), and a resolution urging the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (AJR 19).
"It is important for California, the state with the largest LGBT population, to urge the federal government to repeal discriminatory federal policies that ultimately hurt all people in the United States," said EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors. "We have more potential now than ever before to make a positive impact at the federal level, and we call on Congress and the President to seize this historic opportunity."
AJR 13, introduced by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), calls on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to repeal its rule prohibiting healthy gay and bisexual men from donating blood. If approved by both houses of the Legislature, the resolution would put the State of California on record as supporting updated rules for blood donation, which would increase the number of viable blood donations and in turn save additional lives.
"Blood has no sexual orientation, and the FDA should have no discrimination," said Ammiano upon introducing the bill. "I hope President Obama hears our call to change this shameful and discriminatory practice immediately so we can save more lives."
The committee also approved AJR 15, introduced by Assemblymember Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) and co-sponsored by EQCA and Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE). The measure formally requests that the United States Congress pass and President Barack Obama sign the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). Under current federal law, U.S. citizens and permanent residents are permitted to petition for an opposite-sex spouse to immigrate to the U.S. The UAFA would extend this basic right to committed same-sex couples, allowing U.S. citizens and legal residents to file a visa petition on behalf of a foreign national same-sex partner.
"Thousands of American families and committed same-sex couples are denied basic rights and legal protections, including the ability to petition for a partner to immigrate to the U.S.," said Assemblymember De León. "They live in legal limbo and are torn apart by outdated immigration policies. In ensuring a true state of equality, Congress must take immediate steps to reunite and protect all families once and for all."
Also approved by the Assembly Judiciary Committee was a joint resolution (AJR 19) calling for the immediate repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which explicitly forbids the federal government or any federal agency from recognizing state-sanctioned marriages between same-sex couples. Repealing DOMA would result in the federal government recognizing legal marriages for same-sex couples. The bill is co-sponsored by EQCA and the California Faculty Association and was introduced by Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D - Santa Monica).
"If a state recognizes the love and commitment of one couple, the federal government must do the same," said Assemblymember Brownley upon introducing the bill. "I urge Congress and the President to take a stand on the side of liberty and treat all Americans equally."
All three resolutions will move to the Senate and Assembly floors for an official vote in the coming weeks. More information about EQCA's other legislation: www.eqca.org/legislation.
Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender-rights advocacy organization in California. In the past decade, EQCA has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil-rights protections in the nation. EQCA has passed over 50 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org