Awesome news out of Sacramento yesterday. California state assembly-member, Dr. Richard Pan is part of a group who will introduce new legislation that ensures homosexual veterans will not be denied government benefits.
Dr. Pan was interviewed by Sacramento station KCRA and the video can be viewed from this link (sorry embedding not available):
New Legislation To Ensure Gay Veterans Receive Benefits
Partial transcript of Dr. Pan's comments from the video:
What this bill does is provide clarity that all LGBT service members, when they become veterans have access to benefits. And lets remember that DADT actually was after the 1st gulf war so veterans who, uh, LGBT veterans before the first gulf war and before, actually would get dishonorably discharged if they were outed and would not be able to get benefits. So this bill would ensure that all those veterans who have served us and protected us get the benefits that they deserve.
...we are all safer when all of us can help serve and help protect our country.
I'm not yet clear on the mechanics of the bill and how it would work, but it's great to see the recognition of our lesbian and gay veterans who have been denied benefits by wrongful, dishonorable discharges. Even if this is a symbolic state level gesture, it's a powerful message to the federal government that we need to right a wrong.
A bit of background on Dr. Pan's road to the California State Assembly:
In 2010 assembly member Republican Roger Niello was termed out of California district 05. The district has been a traditionally Republican leaning district for a couple of decades. Andrew Pugno was the Republican candidate with Dr. Richard Pan representing the Democrats. Some of you might recall that Andrew Pugno is legal counsel for and drafter of the Prop 8 initiative. A strong coalition of community supporters was formed and Democratic candidate Dr. Pan won the election over Pugno by a slim margin 49.6% to 45.5%. This was the only legislative seat to be turned in this cycle.
Dr. Pan has been a strong supporter of LGBT rights out of the gate and this legislation is an awesome endorsement of the service provided by our lesbian and gay veterans booted dishonorably prior to DADT.
Dr. Pan's Biography