California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on October 13th, legal updates More than 150 bills had been passed and were awaiting his decision on whether to become law. Eleven of these bills advocated for improved health care access for members of the gay community, stronger privacy rights, easier name and gender changes, expanded adoption rights, and the inclusion of two-spirit individuals in important funding and resource opportunities.
Both were vetoed.
AB 554: Expanding Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention Drugs (Veto)
First introduced in FebruaryAssembly Bill 554 is co-authored by local Rep. Mark Gonzalez and San Francisco Rep. Matt Haney. The bill, also known as the Protection, Prevention Expansion, and Advance Payment for Equity Redemption (PrEPARE) Act of 2025, aimed to expand patient access to various forms of FDA-approved HIV/AIDS prevention drugs. It would prohibit health insurance plans from subjecting these forms of drug therapy to prior authorization, step therapy, or cost-sharing. It would also have required states to reimburse local agencies for administering the drug to ease the burden on small clinics to meet the demands of local residents who need PrEP.
LGBTQ civil rights groups such as Equality California rallied support for the bill, but it was returned unsigned by the governor. in Veto memohe writes, “from the heart.” [supports] “This is an effort to ensure affordable and accessible HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment,” he said, but questioned whether the bill would actually increase affordability and access to needed preventive treatment. [Affordable Care Act]this bill would result in increased health insurance costs that would be passed on to consumers. ”
In response, Gonzalez wrote in the Los Angeles Blade expressing his disappointment. Still, he remains hopeful about PrEP access. “We are deeply grateful to Governor Newsom for his continued partnership and support for us to protect access to PrEP through this year’s budget.”
SB 418: Stronger access to gender-affirming care without discrimination (veto)
Senate Bill 418, authored by state Sen. Caroline Menjivar, would require health care plans to cover up to a 12-month supply of FDA-approved prescription hormone therapy, as well as the amount needed for individuals to self-administer the drug without prior authorization or other controlled use methods.
The bill would also prohibit health insurance companies from denying patients health insurance plan enrollment or renewal based on factors such as sexual characteristics, intersex characteristics, or gender identity.
In late January, President Donald Trump issued a statement The federal government “does not fund, sponsor, facilitate, support, or assist the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one gender to another.” As health care for transgender, gender expansive, and intersex people becomes increasingly precarious under the current administration, Senate Bill 418 aimed to protect members of the TGI community and their ability to access critical and necessary hormone therapy and gender-affirming care.
At the governor’s place Veto memoHe wrote that he was “concerned” that the bill placed restrictions on how usage could be managed. For him, it’s an “important tool” [that ensured] Enrollees receive the right care at the right time. Prohibiting this cost-constraint strategy could increase enrollees’ premiums to offset the costs borne by health plans and insurance companies. ”
For Menjivar, the decision was “heartbreaking” as TGI patients continue to face barriers to critical care.
“SB 418 was the most concrete and effective legislative tool introduced this year to help TGI stakeholders weather this political storm,” Menjivar wrote in the Blade. Still, she said she is determined to continue fighting to ensure health care access for members of the TGI community.
The vetoes of these two bills were a major blow to LGBTQ civil rights organizations and their advocates. Equality California Executive Director Tony Huang wrote of his disappointment: recent press releases.
“These bills would have ensured that transgender people and their families had continued, uninterrupted access to the medications they need, and that people at risk for HIV had quick and affordable access to PrEP,” Huang wrote. “The Governor’s decision to veto these measures will undermine California’s longstanding leadership in promoting health equity and protecting the LGBTQ+ community.”
But along with these setbacks came many victories. Newsom passed nine other bills promoting the rights of LGBTQ individuals.
SB 59: Confidentiality Protections for Transgender and Nonbinary Individuals
this billThe legislation, authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, would ensure that if someone files a legal petition to change their name or gender, those court records will remain confidential. Additionally, Senate Bill 59 would prohibit anyone other than the petitioner from posting these confidential records online.
AB 678: Establishes LGBTQ Inclusive Council on Homelessness
Assembly Bill 678, authored by Rep. Alex Lee, would require the governor to establish an Interagency Council on Homelessness that would form a relationship between federal and state agencies and local field coalitions and nonprofit organizations focused on addressing unhoused communities. They will work together to develop strategies to end homelessness.
The bill also specifically calls for this council to actively collaborate with LGBTQ leaders and community members to ensure that the strategies it develops are inclusive and culturally appropriate.
AB 1525: Limits disciplinary actions against attorneys based on “sensitive services involving gender-affirming care.”
The California Assembly’s Judiciary Committee created the bill to prohibit disciplinary action against attorneys who receive, advocate, recommend, or enable “sensitive services,” including medical services such as sexual and reproductive health, sexually transmitted diseases, and gender-affirming care.
AB 1084: Streamline the court process for changing name and gender markers
Assembly Bill 1084, authored by Rep. Rick Zuber, aims to speed up the process and limit the barriers transgender and nonbinary individuals face when applying to change their name and gender marker. The bill would require the court to issue an order without a hearing within six weeks after a motion is filed. The bill would also prohibit others from challenging changes to a petitioner’s name or gender marker.
SB 450: Protecting the Adoption Rights of LGBTQ+ Parents and Families
Senate Bill 450, authored by Menjivar, would allow gay parents from other states to claim custody of adopted children born in California.
“The signing of SB 450 is a victory for LGBTQ+ parents who want what all parents want: protection of their children’s legal parental rights,” Menjivar wrote in the Blade. “SB 450 clarifies California’s long-standing jurisdiction over adoption proceedings, including confirmed adoptions, when the family no longer lives or has ever lived in the state, but the child was born here. This means that LGBTQ+ families considering the option of leaving an affirmative state in a red state for economic reasons can at least now be confident that their decision will not sacrifice their parental rights.”
SB 497: Protects the right to gender-affirming care from out-of-state law enforcement.
Senate Bill 497, authored by Wiener, is another bill focused on providing protections for transgender and non-binary individuals. It would prohibit health care providers and service plans from disclosing medical information related to the gender reassignment care of patients who are being pursued by out-of-state law enforcement agencies. SB 497 also provides general protection against out-of-state subpoenas that impede access to gender-affirming care.
SB 590: Include Selected Family Members in the Paid Family Leave Act
The bill, authored by state Sen. Maria Durazo, would change current paid family leave law, which currently provides up to eight weeks of wage replacement benefits for workers who take time off from work to care for a seriously ill family member. Senate Bill 590 expands this definition of family to include “designated” persons. For many queer individuals, members of their “chosen family” are often just as important, if not more so, than their biological relatives. This bill expands the scope of what is considered a family member and grants wage protection to LGBTQ individuals if they take time to care for a loved one.
AB 1487: Expands equity funds to include Two-Spirit communities
Assembly Bill 1487, co-authored by Rep. Dawn Addis and Rep. Mark Gonzalez, renames the existing Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex Wellness and Equity Fund to the Two Spirit, Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex (2TGI) Wellness and Equity Fund. This allows the fund to provide financial support to organizations serving members of Two-Spirit and LGBTQ tribal communities in a number of services, including workforce development training, resettlement and integration programs, youth assistance, medical assistance, and more.
AB 82: Confidentiality Protection for Patients and Reproductive and Gender Affirming Care Providers
The bill, authored by Rep. Chris Ward, would allow reproductive and gender-affirming health care patients and providers who face violence or harassment because of their involvement with such care to request that state and local agencies keep their identities and addresses confidential.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
