BILL GIVING DOMESTIC PARTNERS EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE NAMES PASSES FIRST COMMITTEETwo bills sponsored by Equality California (EQCA) that would expand opportunities and protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee today. One bill would strengthen the state's nondiscrimination standards to protect all Californians, including the LGBT community. The second bill would give domestic partners the opportunity to change their surname upon domestic partnership registration.
AB 14, the Civil Rights Act of 2007, authored by Assemblymember John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, and sponsored by EQCA, would strengthen and clarify 51 provisions in state law by making them consistent with the strongest standards of nondiscrimination protection. AB 14 would 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. It passed committee with a 7-3 vote.
