• A bill by Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) to modernize language in more than a dozen sections of California law to reflect the fact that same-sex couples can now marry was recently signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown.
Jackson’s Senate Bill 1005 changes various code sections in California law mentioning a “husband” and “wife” to the gender-neutral term “spouse.” It also recognizes the rights of same-sex couples in registered domestic partnerships and includes registered domestic partners in the code changes.
“I’m very pleased this bill has now become law. By removing outdated language from the state code, the law will now accurately reflect the rights of same-sex couples in California and the fact that marriage equality is now the law of the land,” Jackson said in a statement. “This helps ensure the equal and fair treatment of all same-sex couples in California.”
“Marriage equality was restored in California in 2013, but pockets of discriminatory language persist in various areas of state law,” Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California, said in a statement. “We are grateful to Sen. Jackson and to Gov. Brown for making sure all areas of the law reflect reality and respect married same-sex couples.”
SB 1005 is a continuation of the work done two years ago by Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco).
• On June 30, Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) released the following statement regarding Secretary of Defense Ash Carter’s announcement that the Department of Defense will now formally allow transgender individuals to join and serve openly in the military:
“This is an important day for the transgender community, but also for all Americans who rely on a strong and cohesive military to keep us safe,” Capps said. “Transgendered individuals are already serving in the military—this decision will allow these talented and trained individuals to continue serving without hiding who they are. There is no room for discrimination in our federal policies. Our military is strongest and most effective when service members are evaluated solely on their merits and commitment to serving our country, not for their gender identity.
“I also want to highlight and applaud the dedication of professor Aaron Belkin and his colleagues at The Palm Center, located right here on the Central Coast at UC Santa Barbara, for their crucial research contributions that have helped advance this effort to end transgender discrimination in our military.”
This article appears in Jul 14-21, 2016.