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Assembly bill to aid veterans discharged under transgender ban advanced from Senate subcommittee
Summary
The Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs advanced AB 1775, which prioritizes veterans affected by the federal executive order restricting transgender service members for discharge-upgrade assistance, no-cost housing support and expedited state licensing; witnesses and veterans urged passage.
Assemblymember Ward presented AB 1775 to the Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs on June 22, saying the bill would ensure California steps up when federal policy forces transgender service members out of the military.
The bill, as described by Ward, would (1) prioritize veterans harmed by discriminatory federal policy for assistance under the Veterans Military Discharge Upgrade Grant Program, (2) fund service providers that offer no-cost housing support for veterans facing sudden income loss due to abrupt separations, and (3) expand eligibility for expedited state professional licensing for veterans discharged solely because of the federal executive order (referred to in the hearing as Executive Order 14183). Ward said the separation process under the federal order has been “chaotic and destabilizing,” citing administrative backlogs and cases where pay and benefits were cut with as little as 24 hours’ notice.
Sergeant 1st Class Sunny Kim, who identified herself as an E-7 in the U.S. Army, told the committee she was identified for separation "because I am transgender" and described the personal and professional disruption of the separation process. "This bill represents not only a beacon of hope for the transgender veterans community," Kim said, urging the committee to act.
Retired U.S. Major Veronica Zaire, who testified in support, described fiscal and housing hardships for families after abrupt discharges and said the bill’s three support prongs would ease veterans’ transitions back to civilian life.
Multiple advocacy groups registered support at the microphone, including a representative for the NAACP, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and local LGBTQ+ organizations. No lead opposition witness appeared during the public comment period.
A subcommittee member called the federal action "disappointing" and said they would support the bill. The committee took AB 1775 up as part of its consent process and advanced the measure out of the subcommittee to the next committee for further consideration.
The committee did not enact final statewide policy; the hearing record shows the measure was moved out of the subcommittee for further review. The measure’s next procedural stop is the appropriate fiscal or policy committee referenced by the Senate clerk.
