(Photo by Scazon via Flickr)
Governor Newsom announced in a press release Dec. 31 that a number of key statewide laws would take effect on New Year’s Day.
One of these laws is AB 727, a bill that mandates that all student ID cards in California’s public middle schools, high schools, and colleges include the number for the LGBTQ+ suicide prevention nonprofit The Trevor Project’s 24/7 crisis hotline.
Authored by local Assemblymember Mark González, the bill is especially crucial as President Trump steers administrative efforts that seek to end various LGBTQ+ resources. In 2025, the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline discontinued its “Press 3 option,” which connected young queer people to a specialized counseling line.
Hate crimes targeting transgender, gender nonconforming, and other queer folks are on the rise in California. Amongst LGBTQ+ youth, mental health concerns are increasing. The Trevor Project found in a recent study that suicidal ideation amongst young LGBTQ+ people living in the U.S. rose from 41% to 47% in the last two years.
In December, the administration began advancing proposals that would ban gender-affirming care for minors, as well as restrict insurance coverage around these essential services. News updates like these have become frequent and incessant, creating an echo chamber that more and more young queer folks are struggling to escape from.
AB 727 is trying to remind them that they are not alone. “Every student deserves to feel safe, supported, and seen for who they are,” wrote Governor Newsom in October, when he first signed the bill. “AB 727 makes it clear: your identity doesn’t disqualify you from care and community – it’s exactly why we are fighting to make it easier to reach.”
The bill is one of a number of statewide and local efforts to ensure young queer people are able to readily access empowering resources, education, and someone who is eager to listen to and support them. For many queer folks, this small act can be life-altering, even life-saving. Other initiatives include a motion by Los Angeles Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Janice Hahn that proposes a localized version of the “Press 3 option.”
“We’re sending a clear message,” wrote Assemblymember González, after AB 727’s initial signing in October. “[That] our LGBTQ+ youth are seen, valued, and never alone. AB 727 is not just a piece of legislation; it is a lifeline for our queer youth.”
Kristie Song is a California Local News Fellow placed with the Los Angeles Blade. The California Local News Fellowship is a state-funded initiative to support and strengthen local news reporting. Learn more about it at fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.
The National LGBT Media Association represents 13 legacy publications in major markets across the country with a collective readership of more than 400K in print and more than 1 million + online. Learn more here: NationalLGBTMediaAssociation.com.
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