Our Stance On The Issues

Human Rights and Gender Equality

Assemblymember Cristina Garcia is a warrior for women’s rights. This year, she championed a bill that would end the unfair tax on feminine hygiene products. Although California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the bill, Assemblymember Garcia remains committed to fighting the unjust taxation of women and plans to reintroduce a new, more comprehensive bill to abolish the tampon tax in the next session.

Beyond the walls of the State Legislature, Assemblymember Garcia is the Vice-Chair of both the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. The Commission promotes equality through numerous initiatives such as increasing the number of girls in STEM education and careers by providing mentorships.

Assemblymember Garcia also serves as the Vice-Chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus focuses on politically supporting women in all walks of life, with priorities including encouraging women in corporate leadership and politics, defending women on campuses and in prisons and narrowing the economic gender gap.

Tied in to her efforts on gender equality is her commitment to human rights. This year, She proposed a bill that grants aid to victims of human trafficking, who are overwhelmingly women (AB 2221).

Then, in response to the Brock Turner case, Assemblymember Garcia acted quickly to redefine the outdated and vague definition of rape in California. As it is written now, the law excludes forcible acts of sexual penetration by a foreign object and sodomy. Rape is rape, and all survivors of this horrendous act deserve to label it as such. Assemblymember Garcia’s bill 701 updated the definition of rape to incorporate all forms of non-consensual penetration.

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