Today's Law As Amended


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AB-677 Data collection: sexual orientation.(2017-2018)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.
 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) It is the goal of state government, in collecting demographic data, to gather accurate information in order to understand, compare, report, and apply that data to the enhancement and improvement of public services.
(b) There are ongoing efforts to collect demographic data related to sexual orientation or gender identity at the state and county levels, focusing on addressing health disparities.
(c) Until these efforts yield data, there will still be limited data available for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities, including all of the following:
(1) According to a University of California, Los Angeles, study from the Williams Institute, nearly one in five children being raised by same-sex couples (approximately 24 percent) lives in poverty compared to 14 percent of children being raised by different-sex couples.
(2) Current data from the Williams Institute on patterns of poverty in LGBT communities in California shows that 13 percent of LGBT people are unemployed, compared with 10 percent of Californians overall. Twenty percent of LGBT Californians have annual incomes under twenty-four thousand dollars ($24,000), while 26 percent of Californians overall have annual incomes below twenty-four thousand dollars ($24,000).
(3) According to the Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) 2015 National School Climate Survey, the majority of LGBT students in California regularly heard anti-LGBT remarks, and most LGBT students in California had been victimized at school. Sixty-two percent of students victimized never reported the incident to school staff. Only 39 percent of those students who did report incidents said it resulted in effective staff intervention.
(d) Due to historical systemic exclusion of data collection of LGBT communities, significant disparities in their health and welfare have been prolonged compared to the broader community. LGBT communities face disproportionately high rates of poverty, suicide, homelessness, isolation, substance abuse, and violence. These problems are more prevalent for youth and seniors, communities of color, and bisexual, transgender, and undocumented communities.
(e) It is in the best interests of the state to respect, embrace, and understand the full diversity of its residents and to collect accurate data to effectively implement and deliver critical state services and programs.
(f) It is the intent of the Legislature that the state entities specified in Section 8310.8 of the Government Code utilize existing work and research, including, but not limited to, referencing research on promising and community-defined practices and stakeholders when developing questions to collect voluntary self-identified information pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity. Further, it is the intent of the Legislature that the state entities specified in subdivision (a) of Section 8310.8 of the Government Code that collect demographic data consider urging the collection of voluntary self-identified information pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity in circumstances in which an entity not covered by this act does not already collect this information.

SEC. 2.

 Section 51514 is added to the Education Code, to read:

51514.
 If a local educational agency administers a voluntary survey that already includes questions pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity, the local educational agency shall not remove those questions.

SEC. 3.

 Section 8310.8 of the Government Code is amended to read:

8310.8.
 (a) (1) This section shall only apply to the following state entities:
(A) The State Department of Health Care Services.
(B) The State Department of Public Health.
(C) The State Department of Social Services.
(D) The California Department of Aging.
(E) The State Department of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, except this section shall not apply to the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS).
(F) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
(G) The Civil Rights Department. Department of Fair Employment and Housing. 
(H) The Labor and Workforce Development Agency.
(I) The Department of Industrial Relations.
(J) The Employment Training Panel.
(K) The Employment Development Department, except this section shall not apply to the unemployment insurance program within the department.
(L) The State Department of State Hospitals.
(M) The Department of Rehabilitation.
(N) The State Department of Developmental Services.
(O) The Department of Community Services and Development.
(2) This section shall be known, known  and may be cited, cited  as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,  and Intersex Transgender  Disparities Reduction Act.
(b) (1) Except as specified in paragraph (2), in addition to the duties imposed by Section 8310.5 and to the extent permissible by federal law, the state entities identified in subdivision (a), in the course of collecting demographic data directly or by contract as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians, shall collect voluntary self-identification information pertaining to sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics/intersex status (SOGISC). orientation and gender identity. 
(2) The state entities identified in subdivision (a) may, but are not required to, collect demographic data pursuant to this section under either of the following circumstances:
(A) Pursuant to federal programs or surveys, whereby the guidelines for demographic data collection categories are defined by the federal program or survey.
(B) Demographic data are is  collected by other entities including:
(i) State offices, departments, and agencies not included in subdivision (a).
(ii) Surveys administered by third-party entities and the state department is not the sole funder.
(iii) Third-party entities, including, but not limited to, private employers, that provide aggregated data to a state department.
(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the State Department of Public Health shall collect demographic data pursuant to this section from third parties, including, but not limited to, local health jurisdictions, on any forms or electronic data systems, unless prohibited by federal or state law. This section does not require either of the following:
(A) The State Department of Public Health to collect demographic data pursuant to this section from an individual under 18 years of age who is applying for, or participating in, the California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
(B) Health care providers or other third parties to collect, disclose, or report information that is not voluntarily provided self-identification information pertaining to SOGISC.
(c) (1) The state entities identified in subdivision (a) shall report to the Legislature the data collected pursuant to this section and the method used to collect those that  data, and make the data available to the public in accordance with state and federal law, except for personal identifying information, which shall be deemed confidential and shall not be disclosed.
(2) The state entities identified in subdivision (a) shall not report demographic data that would permit identification of individuals or would result in statistical unreliability. Demographic reports on data collected pursuant to this section, to prevent identification of individuals, may aggregate categories at a state, county, city, census tract, or ZIP Code level to facilitate comparisons and identify disparities.
(3) The state entities identified in subdivision (a) may use information voluntarily provided about SOGISC  sexual orientation and gender identity  only for demographic analysis, coordination of care, quality improvement of its services, conducting approved research, fulfilling reporting requirements, and guiding policy or funding decisions. All information about SOGISC  sexual orientation and gender identity  collected pursuant to this section shall be used only for purposes specified in this section.
(d) (1)  The state entities identified in subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall comply with the requirements of this section as early as possible following the effective date of this section, but no later than July 1, 2018, except as specified in paragraph (2). 2018. 
(2) For purposes of data collected pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b), the State Department of Public Health shall comply with the requirements of this section as early as possible but no later than March 28, 2029.
(e) The state entities identified in subparagraphs (E) to (K), inclusive, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall comply with the requirements of this section as early as possible following the effective date of this section, but no later than July 1, 2019.
(f) The state entities identified in subparagraphs (L) to (O), inclusive, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall comply with the requirements of this section as early as possible following January 1, 2025, but no later than July 1, 2026.
SEC. 4.
 The Legislature finds and declares that Section 3 of this act, which amends Section 8310.8 of the Government Code, imposes a limitation on the public’s right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:
Due to the sensitive general nature of data relating to sexual orientation and gender identity and the need to protect the safety of those who would provide voluntary self-identification information pertaining to their sexual orientation and gender identity, it is necessary to prohibit the public disclosure of personal identifying information that would allow the identification of an individual who provided voluntary self-identification information pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity.