Statement from Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis’s Transgender Advisory Council on California’s Rejection of Recent Anti-Transgender Bills

Statement from Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis's Transgender Advisory Council on California's Rejection of Recent Anti-Transgender Bills

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, April 2, 2025  
Contact: Press@ltg.ca.gov, (916) 445-8994

SACRAMENTO - Today, Co-Chair of Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis's Transgender Advisory Council, Ebony Harper, released the following statement in response to the recent defeat of two measures in California, AB 89 (Sanchez) and AB 844 (Essayli), that sought to restrict the rights of transgender youth by repealing a prior LGBTQ Caucus priority bill, AB 1266, the School Success and Opportunity Act, which was enacted over a decade ago:

"As the California Transgender Advisory Council, we are relieved that Assembly Bills 89 and 844 did not advance in committee yesterday. These cruel measures were never about fairness or safety-they were an attempt to isolate and target transgender youth, denying them the right to participate fully in their own schools and communities. We extend our deepest gratitude to the students, parents, educators, and advocates who bravely spoke out against these attacks. Your voices were instrumental in ensuring that California remains a place of dignity and respect for all.

We also applaud the unwavering leadership of the California Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus and our allies in the Legislature for standing against discrimination. As a transgender woman, I know firsthand the harm that these policies inflict-not just on students but on all of us who believe in a just and inclusive California. We will not go backward. The Council remains dedicated to advocating for policies that affirm, protect, and uplift our transgender community because our future depends on it."

BACKGROUND:

Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis established the first in the nation Transgender Advisory Council in 2021 to elevate the issues faced by transgender people across California. The council is comprised of nine transgender activists, advocates, and elected officials from across the state. View the Press Releasefor more information about the council.

The Lt. Governor's Transgender Advisory Council includes the following members: 

• Co-Chair Ebony Ava Harper

• Evan Michael Minton

• Lisa Middleton

• Drian Juarez

• Bamby Salcedo

• Rosio Leon Velasco-Stoll

• Khilynn Fowler

• Blossom Brown