March 14th, 2025
The Honorable Caroline Menjivar
Chair, Senate Health Committee
1021 O Street, Room 3310
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Support for Senate Bill 418 (Menjivar)
Dear Chair,
LGBTQ+ Inclusivity, Visibility, and Empowerment (LIVE) is pleased to support Senate Bill 418 (Menjivar), a bill that would prohibit discrimination or a denial of benefits from a health plan or insurer based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex with specific protections for the LGBTQ+ community.
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, well-being, and rights of the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring that all individuals can thrive without facing discrimination or barriers to essential services.
As healthcare institutions face increasing scrutiny from the federal administration for providing gender-affirming care, denials of such care are expected to rise unless specific protections are established. These denials include limiting access to essential services and adopting policies that restrict or exclude the LGBTQ+ community from receiving gender-affirming care.
This bill strengthens protections for the LGBTQ+ population by explicitly defining discrimination based on sex to include sex characteristics, pregnancy and related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex stereotypes. It also safeguards individuals from the various ways healthcare institutions may attempt to deny care, ensuring that all individuals receive the medical services they need without discrimination.
It is for those reasons that LIVE supports SB 418 (Menjivar). 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