Newsom OKs LGBTQ+ hotline bill despite predator warnings

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(The Center Square) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 727 into law, mandating that public school student ID cards include a new LGBTQ+ suicide hotline number, despite warnings from parental advocacy groups that it could expose children to online predators. 

In honor of World Mental Health Day, Gov. Newsom signed into law AB 727, authored by California Assemblymember Mark González, D-Los Angeles, that would require the Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ suicide hotline, to be printed on the back of all public school student ID cards for grades 7 through college. 

“Every student deserves to feel safe, supported, and seen for who they are. While some in Washington turn their backs on LGBTQ youth, California is choosing compassion over cruelty,” Newsom said in a press release. 

The online platform connected to the Trevor Project, known as TrevorSpace, encourages LGBTQ+ youth ages 13 to 24 to connect and share personal stories.

Since the bill's conception, law enforcement and family advocates have warned that the website is not monitored and can leave children vulnerable to online predators. 

Brenda Lebsack, a trustee for the Santa Ana Unified School District, has testified against AB 727, stating that she was “shocked that the governor signed to have Trevor Project on the back of every ID card.”

“I saw with my own eyes that Trevor Project is putting kids in harm’s way through TrevorSpace by connecting minors with unfettered random adults on an international virtual platform to explore their genders and sexualities, and this is dangerous for our most vulnerable kids who identify as LGBTQ,” Lebsack said.

Back in July, letters opposing this bill, submitted by both the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office and Lives Worth Saving, a nonprofit specializing in the recovery of child sex trafficking victims, put the platform to the test and uncovered that adults were able to create accounts, bypass age verification and immediately begin private conversations with minors surrounding sexually charged topics, without any real-time oversight. 

“TrevorSpace is a breeding ground for grooming, the process used by predators to gain the trust of a victim for future sexual exploitation,” said Kevin Brown, a former police officer and founder of Lives Worth Saving.

Assemblymember González said signing this bill into law sends a clear message to the Trump administration. 

"When Donald Trump and the federal government turn their backs on LGBTQ+ youth, California steps up," González said in a statement.

In continuing this effort, California will also be investing $4.7 billion toward the Master Plan for Kids' Mental Health, including partnerships with organizations like the Trevor Project.

If you're feeling despondent, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, for both English and Spanish speakers, can be reached by calling or texting 988. It can be found on the web at 988lifeline.org. The lifeline connects people with a live crisis counselor 24/7. People can contact 988 for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.