Marti Abernathey

Maybe California really is the place to be.

“On December 4, Assemblymember John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, introduced the Civil Rights Act of 2007, sponsored by Equality California (EQCA). The new legislation expands nondiscrimination protections for all Californians, including the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. AB 14 strengthens and clarifies 51 provisions in state law by making them consistent with the strongest standards of nondiscrimination protection, which prohibit discrimination based on: race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, disability, medical condition, marital status, sex (including gender identity) and sexual orientation.

The new bill increases nondiscrimination protections in a variety of situations, such as jury service, the issuance of credit cards, participation in the Cal Grant program, voter registration programs, delivery of emergency services, awarding of public contracts, food stamp eligibility and the use of public beaches. The Civil Rights Act of 2007 ensures that 51 nondiscrimination provisions are consistent with California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act and a government code provision that applies to state-funded programs and activities. Because the other provisions do not include all of the protected classes mentioned above, there is an existing deficiency in protection for Californians, in addition to confusion for those who implement and comply with these laws

This is the fourth in a series of nondiscrimination bills authored by Assemblymember Laird that EQCA has sponsored. In 2004, EQCA sponsored AB 2900, which amended more than 30 labor and employment-related nondiscrimination provisions. In 2006, EQCA sponsored AB 1400, which prohibits discrimination by business establishments regardless of a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status, and AB 2800, which amended 17 housing-related nondiscrimination provisions. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed all three bills into law.”

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(Source URL: http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_46993.shtml)