LGBT Community Wins Big in the Legislature This Week

AB 2800, Sponsored by Equality California, Amends 17 Provisions in California Law to Prevent Discrimination in Housing

Sacramento, CA – Today the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development by a 6-1 bipartisan margin passed the Civil Rights Housing Act of 2006 (AB 2800), authored by Assemblymember John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), to further protect Californians from discrimination and harassment. The measure now advances to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

"With the Committee's vote, we have advanced civil rights in California," said the bill's author Assemblymember John Laird. “We’ve moved another step closer to addressing deficiencies in current law and clarifying the responsibilities of housing providers.”

The legislation strengthens and standardizes 17 housing-related nondiscrimination provisions in California law to make them consistent with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). FEHA prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, sex (including gender identity), marital status, sexual orientation, familial status and source of income.

“Today our legislators made an important decision to assure that our state's housing nondiscrimination laws are clear, consistent and protective of all Californians,” said Alice Kessler, EQCA legislative advocate who testified in favor of the measure. “We applaud the efforts of Assemblymember Laird and the co-authors of this bill for working to end discrimination in all its forms.”

Several civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality also testified in favor of the bill.

http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=40337&ct=2151979