California Senate passes landmark bill that tracks violent deaths of LGBTQ+ people

California has passed a landmark bill that is set to track the violent deaths of people within the LGBTQ+ community.

On Wednesday (1 September), the state senate unanimously passed the AB 1094 law or the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data Collection Project.

Under the bill, the California Department of Public Health will start a three-year program that would train medical examiners and coroners to identify and collect information on a victims sexual orientation and gender identity in cases of violent death.

Homicide, use of deadly force by police and suicide are set to be included in the extensive training.

Assemblymember Dr Joaquin Arambula, who first introduced the legislation to Senate, opened up about the importance of the bill in a statement.

“I believe AB 1094 is an important and humane step in ultimately preventing these deaths,” he said.

“Data may sound like a scientific subject, but, at its core, it leads us to better help and serve all our communities with compassion and empathy.

“We must have better data to understand the scope of what’s happening in our LGBTQ+ community – especially among the youth – when it comes to violent deaths, including homicide and suicide.

“This information will be a crucial guidepost to prevention efforts and saving lives.”

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