In the News

February 21, 2020

Port directors from across California marked California Ports Day on Wednesday by meeting with state policymakers, legislators, and administration officials to highlight the economic importance of the state’s 11 ports and issue a call to action to keep them competitive in a challenging environment. California ports are a critical link in the U.S. and international supply chain, are tied to more than 5 million jobs nationwide and generate an estimated $700 billion in annual revenue.

February 21, 2020

Long Beach, Calif. -- La senadora de Long Beach, Lena González presentará este viernes el proyecto de ley “Contratación Justa” en Sacramento que pretende acabar con la discriminación de los latinos y otras minorías a la hora de ser contratados.

“El sistema de contratación está completamente desfasado y roto. A pesar de todo el avance en cuanto a diversidad en el lugar de trabajo, no estamos mejor que hace 25 años”, dice.

February 14, 2020

California lawmaker Lena Gonzalez proposed a new bill that would make it easier for HIV-positive individuals to secure life and disability-income insurance.

The bill would prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals based solely on someone's HIV status. If the bill is passed, it would effectively overturn a law passed in 1989 when treatment for HIV patients was limited and the life expectancy was shorter.

February 13, 2020

A Long Beach lawmaker has announced the introduction of a bill aimed at preventing HIV discrimination.

Democratic State Senator Lena Gonzalez said the Equal Insurance HIV Act will stop insurance companies from rejecting Californians from life and disability income insurance based solely on their HIV status.

February 13, 2020

Lena Gonzalez, 33rd District senator and former Long Beach councilmember, announced on Tuesday, Feb. 11 the introduction of what she calls the Equal Insurance HIV Act, saying it would prevent insurance companies from denying life and disability income insurance coverage based solely on a person’s HIV status.

Gonzalez joined state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and LGBTQ-advocacy group Equality California to announce the bill, which would enact anti- discrimination protections in life and disability income insurance products for people living with HIV.

February 12, 2020

Emphasizing the links between the decreasing rates of new HIV infection rates — thanks to PrEp and other preventions – and the skyrocketing rates of sexually transmitted infections, Wiener introduced SB 932 on Feb. 5 to authorize HIV counselors to perform rapid syphilis tests. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), syphilis infections were up almost 15% from 2017 to 2018.

February 12, 2020

Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, announced Tuesday the introduction of what she calls the Equal Insurance HIV Act, saying it would prevent insurance companies from denying life and disability income insurance coverage based solely on a person's HIV status.

Gonzalez joined state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and LGBTQ- advocacy group Equality California to announce the bill, which would enact anti- discrimination protections in life and disability income insurance products for people living with HIV.

February 12, 2020

State Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) has introduced legislation to ban discrimination in insurance policies based on HIV status.

Gonzalez discussed her bill, the Equal Insurance HIV Act, at a news conference February 11 at the midtown Sacramento location of One Community Health, formerly known as the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Services, or CARES, located in that city's LGBT Lavender Heights neighborhood. (The bill has not yet been assigned a number.)

February 06, 2020

Today, California state Sen. Scott Wiener is introducing a bill that will authorize HIV counselors to perform rapid syphilis tests (or any combination HIV/hep C/STI test) in addition to routine tests they are already permitted to do.

Furthermore, Senate Bill 932 will require testers and navigators to undergo HIV-specific counseling training that has been certified by the state's Office of AIDS.

June 26, 2019

California’s newest State Senator Lena Gonzalez, just won her seat for District 33 in a special election. California Globe garnered an interview with Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) after running into her on her first day in the Capitol, prior to being sworn in.