California Senate to Vote on Two LGBT Rights Bills

EQUALITY CALIFORNIA

ACTION ALERT
Take Action! Support Resolution to Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and Fair Campaign
Practices Legislation in Senate!


As early as next Monday, June 20, the California State Senate could vote on two
important Equality California-sponsored pieces of legislation. SJR 11, a resolution
that calls for the end of the military ban on lesbian and gay servicemembers called
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and AB 866 that adds sexual orientation and gender identity
to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices are both up for a vote.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW! If you are registered in our advocacy center, you can simply
reply to this message and an email will automatically be sent (sample letter below).
If you're not yet registered in our Action Center, please click here NOW to TAKE
ACTION: http://action.eqca.org/alert

EQCA-sponsored Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 11, authored by Senator Christine Kehoe
(D-San Diego), calls on Congress and the President to end the military's "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell" policy by enacting House Resolution (HR) 1059, the Military Readiness
Enhancement Act, authored by Representative Marty Meehan (D- Massachusetts).

According to the February 2005 Government Accountability Office report, the partial
cost of this blight on our national defense is approximately $190 million. This
figure only accounts for recruiting and re-training replacements of over 10,000
capable and devoted servicemembers who were discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't
Tell." This includes nearly 800 service members who served in critical occupations,
including counterintelligence operations. Most significantly, more than 200
language specialists, with essential skills in Arabic, Farsi and Korean were
relieved of duty because, currently, they cannot serve openly in the military.

California is home to 26 military bases which house tens of thousands of military
personnel and their families. According a 2004 Urban Institute Study, approximately
137,000 gay and lesbian veterans currently live in California.

AB 866 by Assembly Speaker pro Tem Leland Yee would prohibit the use of any negative
appeal based on prejudice against LGBT people by candidates or campaign committees
who sign the voluntary pledge provided for in the Code of Fair Campaign Practices.

In the politically divisive debate over the rights of LGBT people, there are many
instances of candidates and campaigns using anti-gay rhetoric for political
purposes. These negative appeals are potentially dangerous to LGBT people, and in
some campaigns these have lead to an atmosphere of fear, intimidation, and instances
of violence.

The Code of Fair Campaign Practices was adopted by the Legislature with the purpose
of encouraging candidates "to discuss issues instead of untruths or distortions" and
"to abide by basic principles of decency, honesty and fair play."

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW TO EMAIL YOUR SENATORS! Click here NOW:
http://action.eqca.org/alert

Thank you!
Steve Hansen
Legislative Director
Equality California

P.S.- JOIN EQCA, MAKE AN ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY
(https://www.kintera.org/site/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=40373&en=juJOJ0PJKiITK7PYLgKML8MPJlJ7IdPKIjIYJ5PSLoKTJbM6H)



EQCA News Update

NO TIME FOR COMPLACENCY - AN OPEN LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY - 6/8/2005
http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=40337&ct=1015979

The California State Assembly came remarkably close to passing a bill that would
have granted same-sex couples the right to a civil marriage. Of those who voted,
more legislators than not supported Marriage Equality. We came within inches of
winning and the vote was historic. To come so close to winning and to give up would
be waste of an incredible opportunity.
more...http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=40337&ct=1015979

BILL TO PREVENT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LGBT COMMUNITY IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS NEARS
PASSAGE - 6/15/2005
http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=40338&ct=1015711

Sacramento, CA - Legislation designed to prevent discrimination against lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in political campaigns is one step
closer to becoming law. Today, the State Senate Committee on Elections,
Reapportionment, and Constitutional Amendments approved Equality
California-sponsored Assembly Bill (AB) 866, authored by Speaker pro Tem Leland Yee
(D-San Francisco/Daly City) on a 4-1 vote.
more...http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=40338&ct=1015711

EQUALITY CALIFORNIA SUPPORTS UNITED FARM WORKERS BOYCOTT ON GALLO WINE - 6/16/2005
http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=40338&ct=1021025

Sacramento, CA - In their mission to end discrimination and mistreatment in the
workplace, Equality California supports the United Farm Workers (UFW) and their
boycott on Gallo Wine.
more...http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=40338&ct=1021025

EQUALITY CALIFORNIA NEWSLETTER - 6/2005
http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=236750

The latest Equality California Newsletter is now online for your reading pleasure.
We try to keep you informed on legislative hearings, events and actions around the
state, often in your own backyard.
more...http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=236750

Email to Elected Officials

(Month) (Day) (Year)

From: (Sender Name)
(Sender Address)

RE: Support SJR 11 (Kehoe) and AB 866 (Yee) on the Senate Floor

(Title) (Recipient's Name)

I encourage you to support Equality California-sponsored SJR 11 by Senator Christine
Kehoe and AB 866 by Assembly Speaker pro Tem Leland Yee. SJR 11 calls on Congress
and the President to repeal the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy by
enacting HR 1059, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2005, by Representative
Marty Meehan (D-MA). AB 866 adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the Code
of Fair Campaign Practices.

In the decade since the implementation of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the Armed Forces
have discharged nearly 10,000 able-bodied and willing servicemembers because of
their sexual orientation. Aside from being an egregious violation of our
constitutional notions of liberty and justice, the exclusion of lesbian and gay
servicemembers is a true menace to our national security.

According to the February 2005 Government Accountability Office report, the partial
cost of this blight on our national defense is approximately $190 million. This is a
figure which only accounts for recruiting and re-training replacements for the
thousands of capable and devoted service members who were discharged under "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell."

It should be the policy of the Armed Forces to accept all Americans who wish to
serve their country. For security and for equality, it is imperative that "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell" be repealed.

In the politically divisive debate over the rights of LGBT people, there are many
instances of candidates and campaigns using anti-gay rhetoric for political
purposes. These negative appeals are potentially dangerous to LGBT people, and in
some campaigns these have lead to an atmosphere of fear, intimidation, and instances
of violence.

Anti-gay rhetoric, which often comes in the form of political hate messages, is
directly connected to violence against gay and lesbian individuals. Incidents of
violence against LGBT people have peaked in national elections years, such as in
2004, during the presidential campaign, in which lesbian and gay issues played an
unprecedented role at both the national and local levels.

The Code of Fair Campaign Practices was adopted by the Legislature with the purpose
of encouraging candidates "to discuss issues instead of untruths or distortions" and
"to abide by basic principles of decency, honesty and fair play."

AB 866 puts candidates and campaign committees on notice that using anti-gay
rhetoric and campaign tactics is simply unacceptable. This legislation encourages a
discussion of issues instead of the anti-gay distortions and untruths that are used
to divide voters.

Please support these two important bills on the floor.

Sincerely,

(Sender's Name)