SACRAMENTO, CA—The gender equity bill, AB 467, authored by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath (D-Encinitas), passed the Senate floor with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 37-0. Also called the “Equal Pay for Equal Play” measure, AB 467 addresses long-standing gender pay disparities in competitive sports. This bill requires sports prize equity for both male and female participants in all sporting competitions held on state lands.
“We’ve fought for years to end inequality in the workplace and these competitions are where these athletes work,” added Assemblymember Boerner Horvath. “I am humbled and honored to see this bill keep moving forward, advancing the historic efforts of so many athletes and advocates standing up for equality.”
AB 467 will require equal prize compensation for all athletes, regardless of gender, as a condition for approving a lease or permit request for any sporting event held on state lands. Event organizers will have to affirm equal pay prizes for both men and women at each participant level before the competition can move forward.
“As a Legislator, and as a mother, I refuse to stand silent while women are paid a fraction of what men are paid, no matter the industry” said Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath. “We owe it to our daughters, and our sons, to make it clear that our shared California values include equal pay for equal work.”
AB 467 was introduced on February 11, 2019 and has made its way through the both houses of California’s Legislature. The bill now returns to the Assembly for a final vote before going to the Governor’s desk.
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