Here’s a look at four critical bills that passed this year, and why OFC fought for them on behalf of our families:
SB 590 (Durazo) Inclusive Paid Family Leave
This law expands California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) program to include chosen and extended family, not just legal or biological relationships.
Why we took this on for OFC families:
Our families told us over and over: “When my community shows up for me, they aren’t always ‘legally’ my family, but they are the ones caring for my child, supporting me, or getting me through crisis.” We fought to ensure the law finally reflects the reality of LGBTQ+ family structures, where love and care, not paperwork, define family.
SB 450 (Menjivar) LGBTQ+ Adoption Protections
This legislation reaffirms California’s authority to complete adoption proceedings for LGBTQ+ parents, including those living out of state if the child was born here.
Why we took this on for OFC families:
Parents in our community have expressed fear that crossing state lines could jeopardize their legal parent status, especially in the current political climate. Families asked us for more security and protection. We advocated for this bill because every child deserves legally recognized parents, no matter where life takes their family.
SB 497 (Wiener) Transgender Healthcare Privacy Protections
Protects access to gender-affirming care by blocking out-of-state subpoenas and requiring warrants for sensitive medical data.
Why we took this on for OFC families:
Families of trans and nonbinary kids come to us with real, urgent fears about safety and privacy when seeking affirming care. We pushed for this policy because parents should be able to get their children the healthcare they need without fear of being targeted, exposed, or criminalized.
SB 578 (Smallwood-Cuevas) California Workplace Outreach Program Support
Supports education and outreach around workplace protections for caregivers and families.
Why we took this on for OFC families:
Families often tell us they don’t know their rights, or that workplace policies fail to reflect LGBTQ+ caregiving realities. We supported this effort because rights don’t matter if people don’t know they have them, especially those caring for chosen family, multi-parent households, or non-traditional family structures.
