April 15th, 2025
The Honorable Sasha Renée Pérez
Chair, Senate Education Committee
1021 O Street, Room 6740
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: LIVE Opposition of Senate Bill 622 (Grove)
Dear Chair Pérez,
LGBTQ+ Inclusivity, Visibility, and Empowerment (LIVE) strongly opposes Senate Bill 622 (Grove), which would remove protections that currently allow transgender youth to participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities consistent with their gender identity and instead mandate that they participate based on their sex assigned at birth.
LIVE is a program of changemakers that celebrates LGBTQ+ diversity and creates a more inclusive world where LGBTQ+ community members can live authentically. LIVE creates positive change by uplifting and empowering individuals to bolster their voices in policy, stigma reduction and unifying community. LIVE is committed to advocating for the health, wellness, and rights of the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring that all individuals can thrive without facing discrimination or barriers to their livelihood.
Senate Bill 622 (Grove) poses an existential threat to transgender youth by denying their participation in school programs and activities that support their gender identity. This bill not only prevents transgender individuals from participating but forces them to participate in an environment that requires them to deny who they are. According to a 2023 report from The Trevor Project, there has been a 72% increase in suicide attempts among transgender youth due to the rise in anti-transgender laws.[1] These laws attempt to erase the existence of the transgender community and further jeopardizes the health and safety of transgender youth.
It is for these reasons that LIVE opposes SB 622 (Grove) and asks for your “No” vote. If you have any questions, or if LIVE can provide assistance on this bill or any other legislation, please do not hesitate to contact me at agaribaymena@mhac.org or our Public Policy Coordinator, Danny Thirakul, at dthirakul@mhac.org.
In Community,
Anthony Garibay-Mena
LGBTQ+ Inclusivity, Visibility, and Empowerment
Program Manager
[1] News, T. (2025a, February 11). Anti-transgender laws cause up to 72% increase in suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth, study shows. The Trevor Project.
