BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 959 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 27, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Jimmy Gomez, Chair AB 959 (Chiu) - As Amended March 26, 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Accountability and |Vote:|8 - 0 | |Committee: |Administrative Review | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No SUMMARY: This bill would require the Departments of Health Care Services, Public Health, Aging and Social Services to include the collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data in the course of their current demographic data collection efforts. AB 959 Page 2 Specifically, this bill: 1)Requires collected data to be reported to the Legislature during the regular process of reporting demographic data. 2)Requires collected data to be reported 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. 3)Requires the specified state departments to comply as soon as possible, but no later than July 1, 2017. FISCAL EFFECT: Minor costs to four state agencies to update forms and information collection procedures. COMMENTS: 1)Purpose. This bill seeks to reduce health and well-being disparities for LGBT communities by ensuring that sexual orientation and gender identity data is collected on a statewide basis by key government agencies that deal with health and human services. According to the author, "Due to the systematic 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, and low rates of health insurance. Collecting voluntary date on SOGI is a necessary first step to understand AB 959 Page 3 the extent to which LGBT communities are experiencing disparities and whether government programs are effectively reaching LBGT individuals in need of care and assistance." 2)Background. State government agencies routinely collect demographic data on race, ethnicity, gender, and disability on a wide variety of state forms and surveys. The purpose of this data is to help better understand disparities in underserved communities. Current law only requires any state agency, board, or commission that directly, or by contract, collects demographic data to separate the collection of this data by major Asian groups. The law is silent on demographic data collection based on sexual orientation or gender identity. 3)Related Legislation. AB 532 (McCarty), pending on the Assembly Floor, requires any state agency, board, or commission that collects demographic data to provide the option of identifying as multiracial and selecting one or more ethnic or racial designations. Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 AB 959 Page 4