<Organizational Letterhead>
Date
The Honorable Isadore Hall, III
Chair, Senate Committee on Governmental Organization
1020 N Street, Room 584
Sacramento, CA 95814
FAX: (916) 445-5258
RE: AB 959 (Chiu) – SUPPORT as proposed to be amended
Dear Senator Hall,
<Organization Name> is pleased to support AB 959, The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Disparities Reduction Act. <Add sentence here about your organization
As a result of long-term systemic discrimination and societal bias, LGBT people face significant disparities in their health and well-being compared to the broader community. These disparities include disproportionately high rates of poverty, suicide, homelessness, isolation, substance abuse, and violence, and low rates of health insurance. These problems are more pronounced for youth and seniors, communities of color, and transgender and undocumented communities.
Collecting voluntary data on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) is necessary to understand the extent to which LGBT people are experiencing disparities in health and well-being and whether government programs are reaching LBGT people in need of care and assistance.
We know from various studies, including those by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Institute of Medicine, that health disparities impacting LGBT people are real. These disparities include: higher risk for cancer, mental illness, and other diseases, as well as higher rates of smoking and substance abuse.
Specific data collection for California’s LGBT community is critically important for the state to provide appropriate services. Currently, California does not consistently collect demographic data related to SOGI.
AB 959, The LGBT Disparities Reduction Act, would require various state agencies that provide health and human services to members of the LGBT community to collect voluntarily provided information about SOGI in the regular course of collecting other types of demographic data. AB 959 would also require that aggregated SOGI data that act as indicators of disparities be reported to the Legislature and made publicly available.
A comprehensive landscape of data incorporating the needs and trends in every community is imperative to reducing disparities and ensuring that all Californians receive the care and services they need. It is high time for the LGBT community to count and be counted in California.
For all these reasons, we urge the committee’s support of AB 959.
Sincerely,
Name
Title>
cc:Assemblymember David Chiu
Members, Senate Governmental Organization Committee
Arthur Terzakis, Staff Director, Senate Governmental Organization Committee