Subject: CA: LIFE Lobby Action Alert and Update
From: Ellen McCormick <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 1997 16:40:40

For Immediate Release:
Contacts: 	
Ellen McCormick, Legislative Advocate
Laurie McBride, Executive Director
Sam Catalano, Legislative Assistant
LIFE: California's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and HIV/AIDS 
Lobby

UPDATE: AB 424 (BALDWIN) 
ACTION ALERT: AB 1059 (MIGDEN)

UPDATE:
AB 424 (BALDWIN) PASSES SENATE COMMITTEE WITH SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENTS

Another bizarre day in the Capitol.  Could it be that Assembly Member 
Steve Baldwin is now authoring a gay/lesbian civil rights bill?  AB 
424, the bill that would prohibit California State Universities and 
California Community Colleges from removing their armed forces 
training units, military recruiting or ROTC programs, was heard in the 
Senate Education Committee today.  The bill had already been amended 
to exclude all University of California campuses. 

In a very chaotic and confusing argument between proponents and 
opponents; between the Committee Chair, Leroy Greene, and the lobbyist 
for the California State Universities; and between the American Legion 
and LIFE Lobby; the end result appears to be that the bill's author, 
Mr. Baldwin, has agreed to two amendments.  One amendment would 
include that ROTC programs cannot discriminate on the basis of sexual 
orientation (actual wording has not yet been produced), the other 
amendment would allow local academic planning processes to decide if 
in fact the ROTC program should be removed.  Both amendments (at this 
point) satisfy LIFE's concerns with AB 424.

AB 424 passed out of the Senate Education Committee without opposition 
pending Mr. Baldwin's adding the amendments.  If the bill is 
ultimately enacted into law with these amendments, there could be some 
interesting fights between the California ROTC (which could no longer 
discriminate against gay and lesbian students) and the U.S. Department 
of Defense (which requires discrimination against gays and lesbians).  
Go figure.

(Commentary from Sam Catalano, Legislative Assistant)

ACTION ALERT: AB 1059 (MIGDEN)
SUPPORT LETTERS NEEDED!
HEARING DATE: JULY 2, 1997
LOCATION: Senate Insurance Committee 
(California State Senate)

CALL, WRITE, FAX OR EMAIL ALL MEMBERS OF THE SENATE INSURANCE COMMITTEE 
ASAP!

The members of the committee are at the bottom of the page, and for 
those that have email addresses I've included them.  Beyond email, it 
is also effective to call or write/fax letters: phone numbers, fax 
numbers (as well as bill text) are available at 
<http://leginfo.public.ca.gov> and all members 
can be written to at:

The Honorable (Name here)
California State Senate
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

SAMPLE LETTER ON AB 1059:
June 25, 1997

The Honorable Herschel Rosenthal
Chair, Senate Insurance Committee
State Capitol, Room 4070
Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: Assembly Bill 1059 (Migden)
Health coverage: domestic partners.
SUPPORT

Dear Senator Rosenthal,

I am writing to register my support for AB 1059, by Assembly Member 
Carole Migden.  This measure would require health care service plans 
(Health Maintenance Organizations, for example) to provide domestic 
partner health coverage options as they provide spousal coverage 
options to contracting employers.

In practical terms, AB 1059 allows small employers contracting with a 
health care service plan to offer coverage - if they so choose - to an 
employee's domestic partner.  In no way is AB 1059 a mandate on 
employers to offer domestic partner coverage to their employees.  AB 
1059 simply allows an employer the option of making domestic partner 
coverage available to its employees through the employer’s chosen 
health care service plan.

Currently, many large businesses have the ability to negotiate directly 
with their health care service plans and receive domestic partner 
health coverage for their employees.  Yet, many small businesses who 
wish to offer domestic partner benefits find their hands tied because 
their health service plan will not allow coverage.  Thus, the employer 
is not able to provide for their employees as they choose to.

AB 1059 is a fair measure that allows employers to decide what is best 
for their own company.  I strongly urge your "yes" vote on AB 1059.

Sincerely,

cc:	
All Members, Senate Insurance Committee: 
The Honorable Ross Johnson		no email address
The Honorable Teresa Hughes		<[email-masked]>
The Honorable Patrick Johnston		<[email-masked]>	
The Honorable Tim Leslie		<[email-masked]>
The Honorable John Lewis		<[email-masked]>
The Honorable Steve Peace		<[email-masked]>
The Honorable Adam Schiff		<[email-masked]>
The Honorable Byron Sher		<[email-masked]>

This message was brought to you by:
LIFE: California's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and HIV/AIDS 
Lobby
926 J Street, Suite 522
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 444-0424
For more information about LIFE Lobby please go to our web page at 
<www.lifelobby.com>