Equality California Unveils 2026 Legislative Package to Strengthen Protections for LGBTQ+ Californians Amid Federal Threats

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 27, 2026

CONTACT: Jorge Reyes Salinas, Equality California
PHONE: (213) 355-3057/MOBILE: (213) 355-3057/EMAIL: [email protected]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Equality California, the nation's largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, today unveiled its 2026 legislative priorities to strengthen protections for LGBTQ+ Californians and ensure the state remains a national leader in equality amid escalating federal attacks and coordinated efforts by extremist lawmakers across the country.

Equality California is sponsoring 12 bills to expand access to lifesaving health care and mental health services, strengthen privacy protections, support LGBTQ+ students and veterans, improve community safety, advance workplace protections, and ensure LGBTQ+ people are treated fairly in the criminal justice system.

"At a time when Trump and his administration are escalating attacks on LGBTQ+ people, California has an opportunity to define what real leadership and stability look like. For our communities, stability means being able to access health care, live free from discrimination, gather safely, and trust that our personal information will not be weaponized against us," said Executive Director Tony Hoang. "Governor Newsom and the Legislature have long positioned California as a national leader on LGBTQ+ equality, and this legislative package provides a clear opportunity to reinforce that commitment by advancing practical, commonsense protections that keep people safe and strengthen our state."

Equality California is sponsoring the following bills:

Transgender Health Care

AB 1876 (Addis) - Protect Transgender Patients from Discrimination
Strengthens California law to explicitly prohibit health plans and insurers from discriminating against individuals based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics, and ensures transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex (TGI) Californians cannot be denied or limited coverage for medically necessary health care.

Why is it important? Health plans and insurers in California are required to cover medically necessary health care for TGI people, yet many community members continue to face barriers when accessing care. At a time when the federal government is undermining access to transgender health care, AB 1876 strengthens and reaffirms California's nondiscrimination protections to ensure TGI people can access medically necessary care without discrimination.

AB 1930 (Zbur) - Safeguard Patient Privacy from Out-of-State Investigations
Protects the privacy of transgender patients and their health care providers by limiting when a person or entity located, headquartered, or incorporated in California can comply with or respond to subpoenas or investigations related to abortion or transgender health care.

Why is it important? Hostile out-of-state efforts to obtain sensitive medical records related to lawful health care provided in California have created fear among patients about how their private medical information could be used against them. AB 1930 strengthens California's privacy protections to safeguard confidential medical information and ensure patients and providers are protected from politically motivated investigations targeting lawful health care.

$26 Million Budget Request - Protect Access to Transgender Health Care
Establishes a state-only Medi-Cal funding pathway to ensure providers can continue delivering legally protected transgender health care if federal funding is restricted, and provides targeted grants to stabilize and rebuild the provider network.

Why is it important? Escalating federal attacks are destabilizing access to transgender health care, despite clear protections under California law. Proposed federal rules could block federal Medicaid funding for medically necessary care for transgender youth and penalize hospitals that provide this care, creating widespread uncertainty across California's health care system. This investment would provide stability, ensure continuity of care, and reaffirm California's commitment to protecting access to medically necessary health care.

Data Privacy

SB 1114 (Cabaldon) - Protect LGBTQ+ Data Privacy
Strengthens privacy protections for sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex data by limiting when state agencies can share this sensitive information and ensuring it cannot be disclosed outside of California state government, except under limited circumstances.

Why is it important? California has been a national leader in collecting sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex data to improve public health and ensure equitable access to services. But escalating federal hostility toward LGBTQ+ communities has raised serious concerns about how sensitive data could be misused to target vulnerable people. SB 1114 safeguards LGBTQ+ Californians by limiting when this information can be shared, while preserving the state's ability to collect the data needed to advance health equity.

Mental Health

AB 1540 (González) - Restore LGBTQ+ 988 Crisis Support
Restores the "Press 3" option on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, allowing LGBTQ+ youth in California to connect directly with trained, culturally competent crisis counselors.

Why is it important? In 2025, the federal government eliminated specialized LGBTQ+ crisis support within the 988 Lifeline, cutting off access to trained counselors for thousands of vulnerable young people. In California alone, more than 73,000 contacts were routed to LGBTQ+ crisis counselors in a single year, reflecting the critical need for affirming mental health support. AB 1540 restores this lifesaving resource and ensures LGBTQ+ youth in California can access the specialized care they need during moments of crisis.

SB 934 (Wiener) - Expand Justice for Conversion Therapy Survivors
Extends the statute of limitations so survivors of conversion therapy can pursue civil legal claims against licensed mental health providers who subjected them to these harmful and discredited practices.

Why is it important? Conversion therapy has been condemned by every major medical and mental health organization as harmful and ineffective, yet survivors are often denied justice because existing legal deadlines expire before they fully understand the trauma they endured. Survivors often take years or decades to recognize the psychological harm caused by conversion therapy, including depression, anxiety, and suicidality. SB 934 ensures survivors have a meaningful opportunity to hold licensed providers accountable and seek justice for the abuse they experienced.

Military and Veterans

AB 1775 (Ward) - Support Transgender Veterans
Ensures transgender veterans discharged under discriminatory federal policies can access housing assistance, receive support to obtain professional licensure and employment, and utilize California's discharge upgrade assistance programs to correct their military records.

Why is it important? Following the Trump administration's January 2025 executive order banning transgender people from military service, many transgender service members are being abruptly discharged with little notice-cutting off their income, disrupting their careers, and putting them at risk of housing instability and homelessness. AB 1775 ensures transgender veterans can access housing assistance, professional licensing support, and discharge upgrade services so they can stabilize their lives and successfully transition to civilian life after serving their country honorably.

Safety and Security

AB 1836 (Gabriel) - Enhance Safety for LGBTQ+ Community Events
Expands California's Nonprofit Security Grant Program to allow funding for security at community events hosted by nonprofit organizations, including LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations and other community gatherings.

Why is it important? LGBTQ+ organizations and community events face increasing threats of harassment, intimidation, and violence. While California's existing Nonprofit Security Grant Program helps protect nonprofit facilities, it does not cover off-site events-leaving Pride festivals and other gatherings without critical security resources. AB 1836 closes this gap by allowing nonprofits to access funding for security at public events, helping ensure LGBTQ+ people can gather safely, celebrate openly, and access vital community resources without fear.

HIV Prevention

SB 1023 (Laird) - Strengthen Access to Injectable PrEP
Improves insurance coverage and reimbursement practices for long-acting injectable PrEP to help ensure providers can offer this highly effective HIV prevention option without facing unnecessary financial or administrative barriers.

Why is it important? Long-acting injectable PrEP is a major advancement in HIV prevention, especially for people who face challenges taking a daily oral medication. However, reimbursement practices create significant barriers for providers, particularly community-based clinics, making it difficult to offer injectable PrEP to patients. SB 1023 ensures insurance coverage and reimbursement policies support timely and equitable access to injectable PrEP so patients can benefit from this highly effective HIV prevention option.

Education

AB 908 (Solache) - Enforce LGBTQ+ Inclusive Curriculum
Requires the California Department of Education to monitor school districts' compliance with the FAIR Education Act, ensuring LGBTQ+ history and contributions are properly included in classroom instruction as required by law.

Why is it important? Although California law has required LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum for over a decade, implementation remains inconsistent. Equality California's Safe Schools Report Card found that only 37% of school districts have fully adopted compliant instructional materials. AB 908 strengthens oversight of the FAIR Education Act to ensure schools fulfill their legal obligation to create inclusive, supportive learning environments for LGBTQ+ students.

SB 1328 (Cervantes) - Expand LGBTQ+ Higher Education Support
Requires institutions of higher education to designate a confidential employee at satellite campuses, branch campuses, and outreach centers to support the needs of LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff.

Why is it important? SB 1491 (Eggman, 2024) required public colleges and universities to designate LGBTQ+ points of contact at their primary campuses, helping ensure students and staff can access affirming support and resources. However, many students attend satellite campuses or outreach centers that currently lack these protections. SB 1328 ensures LGBTQ+ students and staff have access to support services regardless of where they attend school, strengthening campus safety and improving student well-being.

Criminal Justice

AB 2014 (Elhawary) - Prevent Gender Bias in Criminal Trials
Implements a key recommendation from the California Committee on Revision of the Penal Code by requiring courts to apply heightened scrutiny before allowing evidence or arguments that rely on harmful gender-based stereotypes.

Why is it important? The California Committee on Revision of the Penal Code identified this reform as a top recommendation in its 2025 Annual Report, recognizing that gender-biased evidence can undermine fairness and lead to unjust outcomes in criminal trials. AB 2014 strengthens safeguards against bias by requiring courts to carefully scrutinize evidence that relies on harmful gender-based stereotypes, helping ensure verdicts are based on facts and the law, not prejudice or discrimination.

LGBTQ+ Families

SB 1149 (Durazo) - Expand Bereavement Leave for Chosen Family
Allows workers to take job-protected bereavement leave following the death of a chosen or extended family member so they have time to grieve the loss of someone they love.

Why is it important? Chosen family plays a central role in many LGBTQ+ people's lives, particularly for those who have experienced family rejection or rely on community networks for support. While California law allows workers to take leave to care for chosen or extended family members, bereavement leave remains limited to immediate family. SB 1149 closes this gap by allowing workers to take bereavement leave for chosen and extended family members, ensuring they are not forced to choose between grieving a loved one and protecting their job.

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