August, 24 2010, 02:13pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Vaishalee Raja, Communications Director,PHONE: (916) 284-9187,EMAIL:,vaishalee@eqca.org
California Assembly Calls for Addition of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity in 2020 Census
Equality California-sponsored resolution urges federal government to count lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in US Census
SACRAMENTO
The
California Assembly yesterday passed resolution SJR 28, which calls on
the U.S. Congress and President Obama to revise the Census survey and to
collect data identifying LGBT people living in the U.S. Introduced by Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) and sponsored by Equality California, the resolution, passed by a 49-25 vote,
urges the federal government to include questions regarding sexual
orientation and gender identity in the 2020 Census questionnaire.
"All segments of our nation's diverse population
need to be counted by the U.S. Census," said Geoff Kors, executive
director of Equality California. "By ensuring that the LGBT community is
counted, our state and federal government will have the necessary
information to address the needs of our community."
The United States Census does not currently include
questions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. Data
collected by the Census, as mandated by the US Constitution, is used to
determine the number of seats allocated in the House of Representatives
as well as the dissemination of federal funding for hospitals, job
training centers, schools, public works projects and emergency services.
"LGBT families and households are disproportionately
under served and more likely to live in poverty," said Senator Kehoe.
"We call on the U.S. Congress and the President to ensure that every
person living in the U.S. is counted and has access to culturally
competent health and human services."
To find out more information about Equality California's sponsored legislation, please visit www.eqca.org/legislation.
Equality California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to achieve equality and civil rights for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians.
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