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o6/01/2011, by Melanie Nathan

Sacramento-Yesterday, the California State Senate passed the Insurance Nondiscrimination Act (SB 757) in a 24-13 vote. Authored by Senator Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) and sponsored by Equality California, the bill would eliminate an exemption in state law that enables insurance companies to discriminate against same-sex couples.

Under California law, insurance companies and service providers are prohibited from issuing policies that discriminate against same-sex couples. However, there is an exemption for policies that are issued outside of California to an employer whose principle place of business and the majority of its employees are located outside of the state. This bill would remove this exemption and would require insurance companies outside of California to follow state law.

“SB 757 would regulate insurance companies and insurance providers to ensure that policies purchased in California provide the same benefits for people in same-sex relationships as they do for others,” said Jim Carroll, Interim Executive Director of Equality California. “This is just one more example of how Equality California is working to end the government discrimination against same-sex couples.”

“The State’s anti-discrimination laws must apply to all Californians,” said Senator Ted Lieu. “SB 757 will put an end to out-of state companies who refuse to honor California’s health coverage laws.”

To learn more about legislation sponsored by Equality California, please visit: http://www.eqca.org/legislation

Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights advocacy organization in California. Over the past decade, Equality California has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation. Equality California has passed more than 70 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, electoral work, public education and community empowerment. http://www.eqca.org