SACRAMENTO, CA – By a vote of 49 to 25, the California Assembly passed SB 48, State Senator Mark Leno’s Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act. The bill not only requires teachers to include LGBT accomplishments in history courses, but adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s pre-existing anti-discrimination clauses.

According to Equality California in a written statement, studies have shown that inclusion of LGBT people in instructional materials is linked to greater student safety and lower rates of bullying. The bill is co-sponsored by Equality California and Gay-Straight Alliance Network.