By Eddie Gutierrez

The State Legislature returned from summer recess on Aug. 15, but hundreds of bills lay in suspended animation as state lawmakers focused on the Nov. 8 special election. Robert Hertzberg, former assembly speaker and candidate for Los Angeles mayor, was brought in to help negotiations between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez as they attempted to reach a compromise and forestall the $60-million fight over the governor's three initiatives. The talks collapsed late Aug. 18, though of course there is a dispute over that, too.

This political football game -- sparring over initiatives on budget caps, union dues for political purpose, prescription discounts, and redistricting -- has dominated the entire legislative session, with a win determined in overtime in November, rather than at the Capitol.

Both teams in Sacramento are running the clock, calling as many time-outs as they can on more progressive pieces of legislation. Still, LGBT legislation, including many bills sponsored by Equality California, have pushed through and are now one or two plays shy of the governor's desk.

SB 973, carried by LGBT Caucus Chair Sen. Sheila Kuehl, passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee on a 12-5 vote last week and is expected to reach a full Assembly vote as early as Aug. 26. If passed, it becomes law and does not require the governor's signature. This bill will allow public employees who retired prior to Jan. 1, 2005, when California's domestic partnership law went into effect, to pass on death benefits to a domestic partner if the retiree dies before the partner. These death benefits include pensions, health insurance, and other state employee benefits.

The jump-started marriage equality bill, AB 849, awaits review in the Senate Appropriations Committee, but has been placed on the "suspense" file along with other bills that have a potential impact on the state budget of more than $150,000. Various studies estimate the bill will have a potential gain for California of up to $30 million each year, along with a $100 million increase in business revenues due to tourism, and over $7 million in sales tax revenue. The bill will likely face a Senate vote by the end of August. Then it is crunch time to get back to the Assembly before Sept. 9, which is the deadline for lawmakers to wrap up any more legislative business.

Three other bills are awaiting full Senate votes: Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 11 by Sen. Christine Kehoe, which calls for an end to the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy; AB 866 by Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Leland Yee, which prohibits the use of any negative appeal based on prejudice against LGBT people by candidates or campaign committees; and AB 1400 by Assemblymember John Laird that would amend the Unruh Civil Rights Act to clarify that LGBT people are protected from businesses or public accommodations-related discrimination. These bills will be voted on soon -- the "first and goal" before reaching the governor's desk. The next few weeks should mean many touchdowns for the LGBT community.

-- Eddie Gutierrez is communications director for Equality California.