The Honorable Susan Talamantes Eggman
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: AB 830 – Support

Dear Assemblymember Eggman:

I am writing in support of AB 830, which is supported by the California Conference of Bar Associations, the California Women’s Law Center and the Legal Aid Society – Employment Law Center and would amend Civil Code § 52.4 to specifically define the term “gender” to include a person’s “gender identity” and “gender expression.” This proposal would also explicitly provide statutory protection against violence that is motivated by a victim’s sexual orientation.

Recent findings from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that the proposed changes are both important and necessary, as it extends protections to a population that may be at a heightened risk for gender violence. For example, the CDC survey found that individuals who self-identify as lesbian, gay and bisexual have an equal or higher prevalence of experiencing intimate partner and sexual violence compared to heterosexual individuals. In fact, certain groups of women within this population, such as bisexual women, report a much higher prevalence of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner compared to their heterosexual counterparts (61.1 percent compared to 35 percent, respectively). AB 830 would also harmonize the definition of “gender” with those found in other statutes, such as the Unruh Civil Rights Act (Civil Code § 51(e)).

For these reasons, I the undersigned wholeheartedly support AB 830 and greatly appreciate your leadership in this endeavor.

Sincerely,

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View CWLC’s AB 830 Letter of Support

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