Subject: CA: AB 257 HEADS TO GOVERNOR'S DESK
From: Ellen McCormick <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 1997 16:48:48

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Ellen McCormick, Legislative Advocate
LIFE: California's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and HIV/AIDS 
Lobby
(916) 444-0424

LESBIAN/GAY/BISEXUAL CIVIL RIGHTS BILL PASSES STATE SENATE

Sacramento - AB 257, proposed legislation to add "sexual orientation" to 
California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, passed the State Senate 
today by a vote of 21 - 18.  Authored by Assembly Member Antonio 
Villaraigosa (D - Los Angeles), the bill now moves to the Governor's 
Desk for a signature or veto.  

The Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) is the cornerstone of 
protection from discrimination in housing and employment in 
California.  FEHA currently protects individuals from discrimination 
on the basis of race, sex, religion, ethnicity, and physical 
disability in housing and employment.  Historically, AB 257 represents 
the second time that a bill to prohibit sexual orientation 
discrimination under the FEHA has been put before the Governor of 
California.  On the first occasion in 1991 Governor Pete Wilson vetoed 
the measure, AB 101 (Friedman).

Under current law gay, lesbian and bisexual people are protected from 
discrimination in employment under California's Labor Code.  AB 257 
was brought forward this year to move the principle of protection 
against sexual orientation discrimination from the Labor Code to the 
more appropriate Fair Employment and Housing Act.  The advantages to 
moving this protection include increased time to seek remedies for 
discrimination; posting notice of the discriminatory practices in the 
workplace; and greater ability to retain a attorney when bringing 
civil actions.

Discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing is currently 
prohibited by the Unruh Civil Rights Act.  This protection is 
currently carried out by the Fair Employment and Housing Act.  AB 257 
would not change current law with regard to housing discrimination, 
but merely reflect the current practice in the letter of the law.

AB 257 creates better access to remedies for employment discrimination 
based on sexual orientation and helps to deter discriminatory 
practices before they begin.  Although Governor Wilson has vetoed 
similar legislation in the past, letters to the Governor are crucial 
to be clear: current law is not solving the problem of workplace 
discrimination against gay, lesbian and bisexual people.  Sexual 
orientation must be reflected in the Fair Employment and Housing Act 
in order to ensure equal access to protection from discrimination.

###

Governor Wilson can be written to at the following address:
Governor Pete Wilson
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

Final vote count for today's vote on AB 257:

AYES - 21
Senators: Alpert, Burton, Calderon, Dills, Greene, Hayden, Hughes, 
Johnston,
Karnette, Kopp, Lee, Lockyer, O'Connell, Polanco, Rosenthal, Schiff, 
Sher,
Solis, Thompson, Vasconcellos, and Watson

NOES - 18
Senators: Ayala, Brulte, Costa, Craven, Haynes, Hurtt, Johannessen, 
Johnson, Kelley,
Knight, Leslie, Lewis, McPherson, Monteith, Mountjoy, Peace, Rainey, 
Wright

NOT VOTING - 1
Senator Maddy

If you would like a listing of e-mail addresses for State Senators, 
please write back to this message.
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926 J Street, Suite 522
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 444-0424
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