Yesterday, on the night of the California statewide special election, polls closed at 8 pm for the vote on Proposition 50, the “Election Rigging Response Act.” The measure was created to combat Texas lawmakers’ plans to redraw their state’s congressional districts ahead of the November 3rd, 2026, midterm elections in order to secure more Republican seats in Congress.

A “yes” vote on Prop 50 would allow California to temporarily redraw its own congressional district maps beginning in 2026, according to the California Voter Information Guide. Since August, Democratic organizers and leaders have been advocating for the passage of the measure as a way to stand up to “cheating” that has been committed by other states.

Last night, over 8 million ballots were counted, and an overwhelming 63.8% of these were votes in favor of Prop 50. In Los Angeles County alone, nearly 2 million ballots were submitted, and 73% of voters sided with passing the measure.

Governor Gavin Newsom celebrated the victory as an act of resistance. “Instead of agonizing over the state of our nation, we organized in an unprecedented way,” he said, in a series of video statements posted online. “We stood tall and we stood firm in response to Donald Trump’s recklessness. And tonight, after poking the bear, this bear roared — with an unprecedented turnout in a special election with an extraordinary result.”

The results have also fueled impassioned LGBTQ+ leaders to keep the fight going, especially as federal legislation continues to put queer and trans communities at risk. “Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans have systematically targeted LGBTQ+ rights, rolling back nondiscrimination protections, erasing our history, and attacking transgender kids and their families,” said Tony Hoang, director of LGBTQ+ civil rights organization Equality California, in a press release. “With the passage of Proposition 50, Californians have sent a clear message: our votes will not be silenced, our voices will not be ignored, and our rights will not be rolled back during a rigged midterm election.” 

Advocates have also stressed that Prop 50 sets a precedent in creating more ground in the ongoing battle for increased rights and protections for queer communities. “Tonight’s victory is critical in the fight to secure a pro-equality majority in Congress,” said Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, another notable LGBTQ+ civil rights group. “This is a victory powered by communities that refuse to be silenced and are unwavering in their commitment to defending democracy.”

On Friday night, techno pop remixes surged through a tight block on Santa Monica Boulevard, where hundreds of eager partygoers danced near a pop-up stage. Bass-heavy grooves echoed across neighboring streets as Beetlejuices, angels, and vampires swayed and thumped to the beat.

Oct. 31 marked the arrival of West Hollywood’s annual Halloween Carnaval, one of the county’s citywide celebrations — and one of the most anticipated for queer Angelenos. 

The first Halloween Carnaval was celebrated in 1987, and has since become one of the most awaited nights for local queer celebration. Drag performers donning elaborate costumes and glamorous makeup set the stage ablaze as they strutted, flipped their hair and danced to the cheers of a crowd that grew enormously as the night went on. The energy was infectious, and the Los Angeles Blade was on the scene to photograph some of these moments.

Image captures by Blade reporter Kristie Song.

On Oct. 1st, the previous federal budget expired, and the government entered a shutdown after being unable to reach an agreement on how different government services would be funded moving forward. Namely, democratic officials are arguing for more affordable healthcare as well as a reversal of President Trump’s cuts to Medicaid and health agencies, as proposed in H.R. 1 — otherwise known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Without a compromise that Trump will agree to, several essential federal services remain stalled.

Now, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, will be indefinitely halted beginning Nov. 1st. This affects over 1.5 million Los Angeles residents who rely on CalFresh, the state’s equivalent of SNAP. BenefitsCal, the portal Californians can use to access and manage benefits that include food assistance, announced on Oct. 27th that “the U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) is not sending money to states for November CalFresh (SNAP) benefits. This means your county cannot add money to your EBT card until federal funding is restored.”

For LGBTQ+ community members, this impact will be particularly damaging.

Over 665,000 LGBTQ+ adults live in Los Angeles County, and 32% of this population reported experiencing food insecurity from 2023 to 2024, according to data analysis completed by researchers at the Williams Institute. In comparison, 23% of non-LGBTQ+ adults reported experiencing food insecurity.

“I think it’s important to realize that many people who are on SNAP are either disabled and can’t work, or they’re caretaking for young children — and those tend to be the groups of people in the LGBTQ community,” Brad Sears, the Rand Schrader Distinguished Scholar of Law and Policy at the Williams Institute, told the Blade. “Over 60% of LGBTQ people on SNAP are disabled, and about 46% are raising children…There aren’t a lot of options for them in meeting their basic needs, [like] providing food for themselves and their families, besides SNAP benefits.” 

How can LGBTQ+ community members access food assistance in November?

Sears pointed out how, in times of social struggle, queer communities have turned to each other for support. He states that it is important, now more than ever, for local organizations and food distribution programs to stand in solidarity with LGBTQ+ people — many of whom face barriers to seeking resources due to various factors like the fear of discrimination. “This is an important time to send that message that they are inclusive, that their services are inclusive, and that everyone, including LGBTQ people, are welcome to access their resources,” Sears told the Blade.

The Hollywood Food Coalition is one of these spaces. The organization rescues and redistributes food through a community exchange program, and also provides hundreds of dinners to community members every day of the year. “We are open to anyone hungry. We’re proud to serve many LGBTQ+ guests and to offer a welcoming space where everyone can share a meal and feel safe, seen, and cared for,” Linda Pianigiani, the organization’s interim director of development, told the Blade.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center is also partnering with food justice organization Seeds of Hope to provide more free farmers’ markets this upcoming month. For Giovanna Fischer, the Center’s chief equity officer, this is an opportunity to champion intersectional queer empowerment in the midst of the administration’s actions. For marginalized community members, including those who are trans, disabled, or immigrants, organizers are thinking about multidimensional approaches as they support community members through crises like the indefinite end to SNAP benefits.

“Now we’re looking at an issue [that can be] compounded three times simply because of who that person is and the experience that they have in their life,” Fischer told the Blade. “There’s no single-issue analysis of anything that’s coming up for our community, because we’re not living single-issue lives…How are we thinking through things in a layered way to ensure that people with these intersectional identities have access to the things that they need?” 

How is the state and county responding?

On Tuesday, Governor Newsom announced that California is joining 20 other states in suing the administration for its “unlawful refusal” to continue funding SNAP. Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath also stated in a press release that the county is working to fund a $10 million contract with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to expand food purchasing capabilities and create more food assistance pop-up sites and community pantry locations. 

L.A. Care Health Plan is also investing up to $5.4 million to fund countywide food security and distribution efforts, as well as provide aid to nonprofit organizations that distribute fresh produce.

The limitations we’re facing

While these efforts are instrumental in delivering necessary food aid in SNAP’s absence, Sears is worried about the long-term strain the suspension of federal food assistance will have on LGBTQ+ communities and the organizations trying to support them. “A number of state and local governments are going to try to temporarily fill the gap, but…the resources to do that will likely be overwhelmed without SNAP benefits,” Sears told the Blade. “Nonprofit organizations are already feeling the pressure of funding cuts from the Trump administration.” 

Pilar Buelna, chief operations officer of the Hollywood Food Coalition, is seeing this pressure in real time. She notes that the increase in the need for local food assistance has been growing since the summer, and will only continue to grow with the quickly-approaching end to SNAP benefits. “Yesterday, actually, we ran out of food,” Buelna told the Blade, after the coalition gave out 300 meals but were still met with individuals in need of food. “We are concerned that the need is going to increase so much that we’re not going to be able to keep up…We are sending out a call to action to the community to donate food and funding. We need [these] to continue our operations.” 

The Blade will be shadowing various food distribution programs and efforts throughout November to track the impact of the end of SNAP on queer Angelinos, and the community-led efforts being organized to support them.

Early yesterday morning, on National Intersex Awareness Day, West Hollywood mayor Chelsea Byers, Vice Mayor John Heilman, as well as councilmembers Danny Hang and John M. Erickson gathered to install and raise two new intersex pride flags. They fly side by side with the American flag, upholding the City of West Hollywood’s vision of solidarity between national pride and LGBTQ+ visibility. 

“We are facing unprecedented attacks on our community. It is important that we recognize the entirety of the LGBTQI+ community,” Vice Mayor John Heilman wrote to the Blade. “Intersex people have long been ignored and their issues disregarded. Raising the intersex flag also raises awareness about the challenges many intersex people face.” 

Intersex people are born with naturally occurring variations in reproductive and sexual anatomy that don’t fit into binary “male” or “female” categorizations. As Planned Parenthood details, this can look like having both ovarian and testicular tissues or having combinations of chromosomes that aren’t “male” or “female,” just to name a few. According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, one of the biggest issues intersex people face is non-consensual surgeries performed when they are children. These operations are considered medically unnecessary and can leave lasting physical and psychological damage on intersex youth. 

The fight for bodily autonomy and intersex visibility was the main reason behind the first action organized by intersex advocates and trans allies on Oct. 26th, 1996. Protestors stood outside the Boston Convention Centre, passed out leaflets, and spoke with clinicians, nurses, and other medical professionals attending the annual American Academy of Pediatrics conference.

One of the main leaders behind this movement was Morgan Holmes, an intersex woman who had experienced a violating medical procedure meant to “correct” her anatomy. In May of 1996, she presented testimony in a room adjacent to a symposium on genital surgery for intersex infants, a conference she and other members of her advocacy group had been rejected from. 

“What I am saying is that my medical ‘care-givers’ failed to respect my autonomy or my intelligence when they assumed that because I was a child, they could do whatever they wanted as long as my father provided his consent,” Holmes said. “And when I began to balk, instead of questioning their own treatment of me, they blamed my body, and they cut it up.” 

Today, intersex people and their stories are more broadly recognized, but still struggle to reach mainstream audiences when it comes to discussions around LGBTQ+ identity. West Hollywood city officials see this addition of intersex pride flags as a step forward. “Updating our city’s flags was my item because visibility matters,” councilmember John M. Erickson wrote to the Blade. “Intersex people have always been part of our story, and it’s time that their history, identity, and pride are recognized in the public spaces that belong to all of us.”

On Friday, Oct. 17th, West Hollywood gay bar The Abbey found itself in the center of a social media storm as clips were shared depicting the presumed presence of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. In a video posted on Oct. 18th by Charles Hernandez, who often creates content around gay nightlife in Los Angeles, several people are seen standing in a line as they are apprehended and handcuffed by officers wearing sheriff’s vests and tees. Hernandez noted that, while dressed in varying attire with the word “sheriff” on it, none of the officers were willing to identify themselves or present their badges upon request. 

Hernandez can be heard asking the officers about the cause for arrest, to which one responded: “I don’t have to tell you our cause.” The video creator also questioned another officer, who can be seen wearing a gaiter to cover his face. “Isn’t it illegal to wear a mask in California?” Hernandez asked. “He has COVID,” an officer replied. In September, Governor Newsom signed five bills that weakened federal agents’ abilities to access school sites and health facilities, and prohibited them from hiding their identities. More specifically, SB 627 requires all California law enforcement agencies to create written policies limiting their officers’ use of facial coverings by July 1, 2026. 

As this video circulated around the web, the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station released an online statement of their own, denying allegations that the officers present were federal immigration officers. The station also claimed that the night’s events were a result of an “undercover operation” that was conducted in response to reports made about pickpocketing and the transportation, use, and sale of illegal substances. “Several arrests were made,” the statement read. “ICE was not involved.”

Still, residents remained unconvinced, criticizing the station’s lack of transparency, careful conduct, and accountability. Over 50 people took to the comments of this statement to voice their discontent. “[It] was not that long ago when officers would raid LGBTQ spaces and arrest people simply for being there,” one comment read. “A raid such as this does not inspire feelings of safety for our community. Especially in times when people are being kidnapped off the street by masked federal agents. There simply must be a better response to pickpockets and “other criminal activity” than undercover raids by masked officers and transporting detainees in unmarked vehicles. DO BETTER.” 

Two days later, at the West Hollywood city council meeting, West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station Captain Fanny Lapkin took to the podium to address some of these concerns. Echoing the station’s Instagram statement, Lapkin confirmed that the “pre-planned operation” was created in response to “concerns from our businesses and our community in regards to the pickpocketing, to the narcotics, and also to the illegal vending and some of the criminal activity during illegal vending.” Lapkin also confirmed that no federal agents were present, stating that everyone who took part in the operation was “sheriff’s department personnel.” And because the arrests were made as part of a planned operation, Lapkin further stated that warrants were not “necessary.” 

The events were discussed with brevity at the meeting, but community ire has not been dispelled. Several people continue to question the ethics of this undercover operation: Why were the individuals being arrested not clearly told the reason for their detainment? Why were unmarked vehicles present? Why conduct the operation in this way, as Los Angeles neighborhoods continue to stay on high alert over immigration raids? These questions remain unanswered as more specifics about the operation have yet to be released.

Yesterday, Governor Newsom stated in a press release that he is dedicating over $140 million to keep statewide Planned Parenthood health centers running through the rest of the year until additional resources are identified. 

H.R. 1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” was passed in July and includes detailed notes on the congressional budget, including cuts to various federal agencies and programs. In section 71113 of the bill, federal funding is restricted against “prohibited entities” that provide health services like abortions. Organizations like Planned Parenthood were also blocked from receiving federal reimbursement for providing essential care services to patients enrolled in Medicaid or Medi-Cal. 

Planned Parenthood traces its roots to the early 1900s, where it began as a clinic providing birth control resources. Today, there are over 100 Planned Parenthood health centers across California alone, providing abortion services, STI testing and treatment, gender affirming care, birth control options, and other reproductive care services. It has been a lifeline for many in accessing affordable care and education around their reproductive and sexual health.

The effects of H.R. 1 have cut deeply into local communities. As reported by local advocates and government representatives, the neighboring Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties (PPOSBC) had to eliminate a primary health care service line that provided over 10,000 patients direct access to services like cancer screenings, birth control, and prenatal care.

This recent investment by the state highlights California as a “reproductive freedom state,” Newsom said in a statement. “[This] latest investment continues to show our belief in protecting access to essential health care in times of distress.”

The governor’s next steps in this defense include working with other legislative leaders to identify more long-term solutions for 2026 that will allow Planned Parenthood clinics to continue operating. “While we know Trump and Republicans’ attacks on reproductive health care are escalating, we remain confident that our state leaders will continue to stand with Planned Parenthood patients and providers and ensure they have the support necessary to endure the persistent assaults,” said Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California president Jodi Hicks in a separate statement.

Before Fanny Lapkin became Captain of West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station in August, she was a longtime advisor and mentor for the county’s deputy explorer program: a training and career development opportunity for young adults interested in law enforcement. “I probably had eight or nine of — I call [them] my kids,” Lapkin told the Blade. When some of these mentees became deputies, she felt like a “mama.” Lapkin brings this nurturing approach to her leadership, where she hopes to build deeper community trust and humanize her staff members. “People have the misconception that we’re machines and that we’re robots. We are human beings,” said Lapkin. 

Lapkin first ventured into law enforcement as a college student, where a casual walk into the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station for volunteer credit led to a seven-year-long stint. As a volunteer, she assisted deputies, participated in neighborhood watch, and became involved with safety measures for local community members. “I fell in love with the job,” said Lapkin. She officially took on a law enforcement role in 1997 and was eventually assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley’s Sheriff’s Station, where she worked as a community relations deputy. 

In 2019, Lapkin began working at the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, climbing the ranks as service area sergeant to service area lieutenant before her most recent promotion to station captain in August. Lapkin says that she and fellow station staff pushed for LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum for peace officer standards and training. 

In September 2018, AB 2504 was passed, which required the state’s commission on peace officer standards and training to develop training material around LGBTQ+ identity and create inclusive workplaces. In 2024, AB 2621 was chaptered into law, which required the commission to also create and implement instruction on hate crimes against specific groups, including LGBTQ+ communities. 

Today, Lapkin hopes to continue building trust with marginalized community members, especially LGBTQ+ individuals afraid to seek help through law enforcement. The Blade sat down with the captain to discuss her perspective and approach.  

How do you hope to foster effective relationships between the sheriff’s station and community members?

Honestly, [it’s about] being available, being present. Joining Neighborhood Watch, having that open communication, making sure that you know the residents, whether it be from our LGBT community or visitors. We make sure that our deputies have the necessary training to be able to deal with different community members, whether direct leaders, whether business owners, or public safety commissions. Being available for them — I think that’s the number one thing, is just making yourself available to have those conversations. 

Also, having that transparency — if something does happen, let’s talk about what happened. In some cases, we won’t be able to discuss for obvious reasons, but it’s having that open communication and making sure that our community feels that they’re safe and that their voice is heard.

It’s having the conversation: How can we come together to find a resolution for [issues]? People come from different directions to try and resolve a problem. So my thing is, everybody has a seat at the table. From being a volunteer to a deputy to moving up the ranks, I’ve always lived by that. I’ve had amazing mentors who have always had that open-door policy, [where] every community member has a seat at the table. Come and tell us what your concerns are, and we’ll tell you how we can fix them. There are going to be times when we cannot do something about it, because it doesn’t rise to the level of a crime. But we can tell you, without giving you legal advice, how you can try to resolve something. 

How have you seen community issues and safety shift since you started working in the West Hollywood Sheriff’s station in 2019? How do you hope to address all of these shifts?

2019 kind of put us all in a bubble. But again, it’s just having that open communication and making yourself available, going to local events, participating in outreach, and just making sure that our community members, whomever they are — our Russian community, our Jewish community, our LGBT community — that they feel that they’re being heard, that we listen to them, and we understand that each of them have unique needs. So it’s trying to understand that and fostering a great environment where they’re comfortable enough to come to us, whether it be telling us how wonderful our deputies are, or also telling us they didn’t like the service that they received. 

If I get a concern, [like] somebody saying, “Well, I don’t like the way this deputy handled the call.” I look at every single body-worn camera footage. I listen to the phone calls. And if it’s something that we could do better, we fix it, right? And if it’s something that maybe was misinterpretation…I tell [deputies]: take the extra two minutes to listen to our community, because you’re going to learn something by just slowing yourself down. 

Unfortunately, our patrol deputies are under tight constraints. We are understaffed. They are working the extra overtime, but…we’re not machines, we’re not robots. We’re humans. And sometimes, the human nature kind of steps in at times. But we have to make sure that we teach them how to find the balance.

What are the unique needs and challenges West Hollywood communities face today?

The challenge is just making sure that our community trusts us [and] that our community is comfortable enough to come to us when they have a concern, when they’re victims. Especially with the LGBTQ community or even our transgender community, they’re a little nervous about going to law enforcement, or they feel that they’re going to be victimized again. That’s one thing that [we see] as a priority. We want to make sure that they don’t feel that, and that they do feel that they’re being heard, and that their safety is one of our concerns. We don’t care whether you’re LGBTQ, transgender, Jewish, or Russian — we’re going to treat you equally. If you’re a victim of a crime, we’re going to assist you and help you. I think we just want to make sure that our community members feel that they can come to us and we’re going to advocate for them, [that] we’re going to be a good partner.

What are the active ways that you and the station are building that kind of trust, specifically with LGBTQ+ and trans community members? How can they have that open dialogue with you and the station to feel safer?

Because there was a need for our transgender community…we started with a quarterly meeting, but we moved them to every six months, where we have a meeting and we invite any member of the community to come in and sit down and talk to us. We included our California Department of Justice partners. We included the trans Latina community. Our LGBTQ commission came out. 

That’s something that we’re trying to figure out. What’s going to be the best time to have these open dialogues? It’s a town hall roundtable. Tell us what your concerns are, and we’ll tell you how we can fix them.

On Oct. 18th, a mosaic of Angelinos across generations and cultural backgrounds gathered outside of city hall as they proudly lifted handmade signs decrying President Trump and the current administration. This march was one of several rallies organized just within the city, and one of thousands others organized across the nation.

The protest was packed, with people standing nearly shoulder to shoulder as a number of local leaders including Black Women for Wellness Action Project policy analyst LaKisha Camese, TransLatin@ Coalition president Bamby Salcedo and Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, made rousing speeches and led passionate chants before the march began. Speakers like political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen did not hold back when they addressed the crowd. “[They are] so desperate to rebrand this thing as a ‘Hate America’ rally. But do you know what hating America looks like?,” asked Cohen.

Image captures by Blade reporter Kristie Song

“It looks like sending secret police accountable to no one into our cities…It looks like keeping the government closed because you are so hell bent on stripping away health care from 24 million Americans and trying to get their costs to double, triple or quadruple. So if you’re looking for the ‘Hate America’ rally, might I suggest the White House.”

Protestors cheered at the top of their lungs with each passing speech, and each clear and explicit denouncement of the current administration. “There’s no rally like what’s happening here in Los Angeles,” said Assemblymember Bryan. “This is where Black, brown, poor, indigenous, everyday people come together…Washington D.C. doesn’t care about us, and we know that. But, we care about each other, don’t we? We believe that health care is a human right, don’t we? We believe that housing is a human right, don’t we? We will stand up to authoritarianism, won’t we? Because when we fight together, what happens? We win!”

As people began to grow restless, the march finally began, taking them to a highway overpass.

As residents boarded a bus at Cesar E. Chavez and Broadway, they were halted by blocked roads as large congregations marched by. Transit riders looked on into the crowds, their faces mere inches from some of the passing protestors. Separated by a layer of window glass, one nodded along as protestors lifted their signs above their heads and chanted “ICE out of LA!” Some waved to people inside the stalled bus, inviting solidarity from those who weren’t marching alongside them.

When the road cleared, their calls could still be heard for a little longer.

This Monday, Governor Newsom issued a legislative update on over 150 bills that had passed legislation and were waiting on his decision on whether or not they would be chaptered into law. 11 of these bills advocated for queer community members, including their improved access to healthcare, more privacy rights, greater ease in changing their name and gender markers, as well as the expansion of adoption rights and the inclusion of two-spirit individuals into important funding and resource opportunities. 

Two were vetoed. 

AB 554: Greater access to HIV/AIDS preventative medicine (Vetoed)

First introduced in February, AB 554 was co-authored by local Assemblymember Mark González and San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney. Also known as the Protecting Rights, Expanding Prevention, and Advancing Reimbursement for Equity (PrEPARE) Act of 2025, the bill intended to expand patients’ access to various forms of FDA-approved HIV/AIDS preventative medication. It would have prohibited health insurance plans from subjecting these forms of medication to prior authorization, step therapy, or cost-sharing. It would have also required the state to reimburse local agencies for administering this medicine, alleviating the strain on small clinics to meet the demand of community members in need of PrEP. 

Though LGBTQ+ civil rights groups like Equality California rallied support for the bill, it was returned by the governor without a signature. In a veto memo, he wrote that he “wholeheartedly [supports] efforts to ensure affordable and accessible prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS” but questioned whether the bill would actually increase the affordability of and access to necessary preventative treatment. “By exceeding the cost-sharing provisions under the ACA [Affordable Care Act], this bill would result in increased costs to health plans, which would then be passed on to consumers.” 

In response, Assemblymember González wrote to the Blade about his disappointment. Still, he remains hopeful about the state of PrEP access. “I’m deeply grateful to Governor Newsom for his continued partnership and for standing with us in protecting access to PrEP through this year’s budget.”

SB 418: Stronger access to gender-affirming care without discrimination (Vetoed)

Authored by Senator Caroline Menjivar, SB 418 would have required a health care service plan to cover up to a 12-month supply of FDA-approved prescription hormone therapy and the supplies needed by an individual to self-administer this medication without being subjected to utilization management methods like prior authorization.

The bill was also intended to prohibit health insurers from denying a patient the ability to enroll in or renew their health insurance plans based on factors like sex characteristics, intersex traits, and gender identity. 

In late January, President Trump released a statement that the federal government would “not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another.” As healthcare for trans, gender-expansive, and intersex (TGI) individuals becomes increasingly unstable under the current administration, SB 418 aimed to protect TGI community members and their ability to access critical and necessary hormone therapy and gender-affirming care. 

In the governor’s veto memo, he wrote that he was “concerned” about the bill’s limitation on utilization management methods. For him, it’s an “important tool [that ensured] enrollees receive the right care at the right time. Prohibiting this cost constraint strategy is likely to result in an increase in enrollee premiums to offset costs incurred by health plans and insurers.” 

For Senator Menjivar, this decision was “heartbreaking” as TGI individuals continue to face barriers to vital care. “SB 418 was the most tangible and effective legislative tool introduced this year to help TGI folks weather this political storm,” Menjivar wrote to the Blade. Still, she says that she is committed to continue fighting to secure health care access for TGI community members.

The vetoing of these two bills was a major blow for LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations and advocates. Equality California executive director Tony Hoang wrote about his disappointment in a recent press release. “These bills would have guaranteed that transgender people and their families could continue to access essential medications without disruption and that people at risk of HIV could obtain PrEP quickly and affordably,” wrote Hoang. “The Governor’s decision to veto these measures undermines California’s longstanding leadership in advancing health equity and protecting the LGBTQ+ community.”

But with these setbacks came a number of wins. Governor Newsom passed nine other bills advancing the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals. 

SB 59: Confidentiality protections for trans and nonbinary individuals

This bill, authored by Senator Scott Wiener, will ensure that when someone files a legal petition to change their name or their gender marker, these court records are kept confidential. Additionally, SB 59 will prohibit people other than the petitioner to post these confidential records online.

AB 678: Creating an LGBTQ+ inclusive council on homelessness

Created by Assemblymember Alex Lee, AB 678 will require the governor to build an Interagency Council on Homelessness that will form relationships between federal and state agencies with local, on-the-ground coalitions and nonprofit organizations that focus on working with unhoused communities. Together, they will work on creating strategies to end homelessness.

The bill also specifically requires this council to actively work with LGBTQ+ leaders and community members to ensure that the strategies it develops are inclusive and culturally competent. 

AB 1525: Restricting disciplinary action against attorneys on the basis of “sensitive services,” which includes gender-affirming care 

The California State Assembly’s Committee on Judiciary created this bill to prohibit disciplinary action against attorneys who receive, advocate for, recommend, or enable “sensitive services,” which include health care services for sexual and reproductive health, sexually transmitted illnesses, and gender-affirming care. 

AB 1084: Streamlining court processes for name and gender marker changes 

Created by Assemblymember Rick Zbur, AB 1084 aims to quicken the process and limit barriers transgender and nonbinary individuals face when filing to change their name and gender marker. The bill will require courts to issue orders within six weeks from when a petition is filed, and without a hearing. The bill will also prohibit others from being able to file an objection to a petitioner’s name or gender marker change.

SB 450: Protecting adoption rights for LGBTQ+ parents and families 

Authored by Senator Menjivar, SB 450 will allow queer parents from other states to claim parentage rights to their adopted children born in California. “The signing of SB 450 is a win for LGBTQ+ parents who want what every parent wants, the protection of their legal rights as the parents of their children,” Senator Menjivar wrote to the Blade. “SB 450 clarifies California’s longstanding jurisdiction for adoption proceedings, including confirmatory adoptions, in cases where the families no longer live, or never lived, in the state but the child was born here. This means LGBTQ+ families, who are weighing the options of potentially leaving an affirming state to a Red state for financial reasons, can at least now feel confident that decision won’t cost them their parental rights.” 

SB 497: Protecting right to gender-affirming care from out-of-state law enforcement

Authored by Senator Wiener, SB 497 is another bill focused on providing protections for transgender and nonbinary individuals. It will prohibit healthcare providers and service plans from releasing medical information related to gender-affirming care for a patient who is being pursued by out-of-state law enforcement officials. SB 497 would also generally safeguard against out-of-state subpoenas that would prevent a person’s ability to access gender-affirming care.

SB 590: Including chosen family members in paid family leave laws

Authored by Senator Maria Durazo, this bill would alter existing laws around paid family leave, which currently provides wage replacement benefits for up to eight weeks for workers who take time off work to take care of seriously ill family members. SB 590 will expand this definition of family members to include “designated” persons. For many queer individuals, their “chosen family” members are often just as crucial, if not more than, their blood relatives. This bill opens up the scope of what is considered a family member, allowing LGBTQ+ individuals wage protections if they take time away to care for these loved ones.

AB 1487: Expanding equity fund to include two-spirit communities 

Co-authored by Assemblymembers Dawn Addis and Mark González, AB 1487 will rename the existing Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex Wellness and Equity Fund to the Two-Spirit, Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex (2TGI) Wellness and Equity Fund. This will enable the fund to grant financial support to organizations that serve two-spirit and LGBTQ+ tribal community members in a number of services, including: workforce development training, resettlement and social integration programs, youth outreach, healthcare support, and more. 

AB 82: Confidentiality protections for patients and providers of reproductive and gender-affirming care 

Authored by Assemblymember Chris Ward, this bill will allow reproductive or gender-affirming health care patients and service providers who face violence and harassment because of their association with such care to request that state and local agencies protect the confidentiality of their identities and addresses. 

On Tuesday morning, a downpour loomed heavy over the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration as leaders and supporters from grassroots coalitions like Immigrants are LA and the TransLatin@ Coalition gathered inside Room 140C. They were present for a press conference with County Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Janice Hahn, who together co-authored a motion to proclaim a local emergency in Los Angeles County in regards to the federal government’s actions targeting immigrant communities. 

The press conference offered a moment of solidarity before the Board of Supervisors meeting happening immediately after, where the motion would be voted upon. “One of the grounds for declaring this emergency is that we can’t do it alone, and we know that county government cannot protect our residents alone,” Horvath told the Blade. “We need our cities to join with us. We need the state to join with us. That’s why declaring the state of emergency is so critical. That way, they know this isn’t business as usual. We need help.”

In the last four months, immigration operations and raids have become widespread in Los Angeles and throughout the country. In January, President Trump declared a national emergency targeting a “catastrophic immigration crisis” before issuing a proclamation “restricting the entry of foreign nationals” on the basis of national security in June. Three months later, the Supreme Court voted to pause restraining orders that would have limited immigration operations that, as advocates argued, violated civil rights.

In response to this, Supervisors Horvath and Hahn deemed it necessary to move forward with a proclamation of their own. But what does codifying and declaring a local emergency do?

“Clearing a local emergency allows the county to promulgate orders and regulations to provide for the protection of life and property,” explained Senior Assistant County Counsel Thomas J. Faughnan at the Board of Supervisors meeting. “It allows the county to request assistance from the state. It permits mutual aid to any affected area. It provides the county with certain legal immunities for emergency actions taken, and it permits the county to obtain vital supplies and equipment needed for the protection of life and property and the ability to require emergency services of county personnel.”

Supervisor Horvath also stressed that the declaration would allow local officials to accelerate various processes in locating and delivering support services to immigrant community members. “This is about action and speed. It means Los Angeles County can move faster. We can coordinate better. We can use every tool available to support and stabilize our communities,” Horvath said at the press conference. “Today, we declare an emergency — not from a place of panic, but from a place of purpose.” 

It would be several hours before the proclamation was addressed at the board meeting. Still, over 10 people were waiting to be patched through on the phone so they could voice their opinions. Over 10 more people waited in person, and 79 others submitted their public comments online.

Many residents who spoke voiced their support for the declaration, echoing the importance of providing protections to their immigrant neighbors. There were also a few individuals who expressed opposition and hesitation about the potential consequences of relief efforts. One person, who only identified themself as “Doreen,” opposed potential eviction relief that could follow the declaration’s passing. “I disagree with the consideration of an eviction moratorium for those who are vulnerable. I truly believe the Board of Supervisors is operating on emotions and retaliation,” said Doreen. “So you mean to tell me that you would like to bend the law to conform to those who are here illegally?” 

Amongst the five supervisors, there was general support for the declaration — but also some apprehension about what would come from it. “We see citizens and municipalities taking real, meaningful, tangible action against these federal agents being in their communities,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “Is there anything in this declaration that would empower us to take similar action?” 

While these actions can only become clearer with the passing of the declaration, other matters were clarified through this discussion. For one, the declaration will not lead to requests to the federal government for mutual aid. Additionally, the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause — which states that, if conflicting with one another, federal laws take precedence over state laws — will not hold up in the instance of illegal actions committed by federal agents during their immigration operations. 

After deliberation, the motion was passed, with the only “no” vote coming from Supervisor Kathryn Barger. This declaration of local emergency remains in effect until terminated by the Board of Supervisors, and a press release from Supervisor Horvath’s office states that county departments will be able to take “necessary emergency actions to protect and stabilize” impacted communities. 

The Blade will follow up with further stories as these emergency actions are developed and rolled out.