Current:Home > reviewsCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bills to enhance the state’s protections for LGBTQ+ people -VisionFunds
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bills to enhance the state’s protections for LGBTQ+ people
View
Date:2025-04-21 05:51:17
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several bills Saturday aimed at bolstering the state’s protections for LGBTQ+ people, a day after issuing a controversial veto that was criticized by advocates.
The new laws include legislation that focuses on support for LGBTQ+ youth. One law sets timelines for required cultural competency training for public school teachers and staff, while another creates an advisory task force to determine the needs of LGBTQ+ students and help advance supportive initiatives. A third requires families to show that they can and are willing to meet the needs of a child in foster care regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“California is proud to have some of the most robust laws in the nation when it comes to protecting and supporting our LGBTQ+ community, and we’re committed to the ongoing work to create safer, more inclusive spaces for all Californians,” Newsom said in a statement. “These measures will help protect vulnerable youth, promote acceptance, and create more supportive environments in our schools and communities.”
The governor also signed legislation that requires schools serving first through 12th grade to have at least one gender-neutral bathroom available for students by 2026.
The law was spurred by a Southern California school district that instituted a policy requiring schools to tell parents when their children change their pronouns or use a bathroom of a gender other than the one listed on their official paperwork. A judge halted the policy after California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued the Chino Valley Unified School District. The lawsuit is ongoing.
The governor’s bill-signings came after Newsom vetoed a bill on Friday that would have required judges to consider whether a parent affirms their child’s gender identity when making custody and visitation decisions.
Assemblymember Lori Wilson, a Democrat who introduced the bill and has an adult son who came out as transgender when he was a teenager, was among the LGBTQ+ advocates who criticized the governor’s decision.
“I’ve been disheartened over the last few years as I watched the rising hate and heard the vitriol toward the trans community. My intent with this bill was to give them a voice, particularly in the family court system where a non-affirming parent could have a detrimental impact on the mental health and well-being of a child,” Wilson said in a statement.
Newsom said existing laws already require courts to consider health, safety and welfare when determining the best interests of a child in custody cases, including the parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity.
The veto comes amid intense political battles across the country over transgender rights, including efforts to impose bans on gender-affirming care, bar trans athletes from girls and women’s sports, and require schools to notify parents if their children ask to use different pronouns or changes their gender identity.
veryGood! (88)
Related
- Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
- FDA approves a new weight loss drug, Zepbound from Eli Lilly
- North Carolina governor declares state of emergency as wildfires burn in mountains
- The Excerpt podcast: Ohio passes abortion ballot measure, Democrats win in Virginia
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Next Met Gala theme unveiled: the ‘sleeping beauties’ of fashion
- 'Colin' the dog brings 2 — no wait, 3 —lonely hearts together in this fetching series
- Biden administration picks Maryland for new FBI headquarters, AP sources say
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- Atlanta man arrested with gun near U.S. Capitol faces numerous charges
Ranking
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- Connecticut man charged after police find $8.5 million worth of illegal mushrooms in home
- Travis Kelce’s Plans to Cheer on Taylor Swift at Argentina Eras Tour Revealed
- Texas officials issue shelter-in-place order after chemical plant explosion
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- 'Colin' the dog brings 2 — no wait, 3 —lonely hearts together in this fetching series
- Virginia Democrats sweep legislative elections, delivering a blow Gov. Glenn Youngkin's plan for a GOP trifecta
- Negotiations over proposed regulations for deep-sea mining plod along as pressure mounts
Recommendation
Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
Jeezy says he's 'disappointed' with Jeannie Mai divorce, Nia Long talks infidelity
Former top prosecutor for Baltimore declines to testify at her perjury trial
RHOBH's Kyle Richards Slams F--king B---h Sutton Stracke Over Las Vegas Stripper Meltdown
Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
Maine looks to pay funeral costs for families of mass shooting victims
GM recalls nearly 1,000 Cruise AVs across nation after robotaxi dragged pedestrian
Los Angeles coroner’s investigator accused of stealing a crucifix from around the neck of a dead man