Shirley Weber on the SAVE Act; and Trans rights activist Ebony Harper

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: We have a packed show today: first up, we chat with California Secretary of State Shirley Weber about The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, proposed federal legislation that would require all Americans to reregister to vote, in person, with either a birth certificate or passport. Weber outlines concerns that the law would effectively disenfranchise millions of voters who may not have access to their birth certificate, and those – like many married women – whose documents no longer match their birth name. And, perhaps an even bigger problem: who pays?  Counties project millions in costs to administrate, but the  legislation includes no funding mandate.

We also spoke with Trans activist Ebony Harper, founding executive director of California TRANScends, and the author of The Trans Manifesto. Harper shared how she is responding to the current wave of anti-Trans sentiment, her reaction to Governor Newsom’s recent podcast comments, and how Coast to Coast and NPR shaped her life.

Plus – Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics?

1:38 Capitol Weekly Update

2:13 Correction: Dan Weintraub was the first California politics blogger

3:33 Big Day of Giving: May 1

5:49 SOS Shirley Weber on the SAVE Act

6:21 “What are they trying to save?”

7:25 What does it do?

8:41 Disproportionately affects women

11:12 The fraud problem

13:11 The cost to counties

15:05 Impact on Trans people

16:51 Litigation?

18:01 Most states see this as an obstacle

19:56 Ebony Harper

24:01 How do you respond to the current moment?

27:55 The Trans Manifesto

30:09 The governor’s comments carry a lot of weight, but..

34:12 Anti-Trans messaging

36:13 “The same playbook”

37:13 Origin Story

39:18 Coast to Coast and NPR

42:37 “We’re still coming out every day, even though it’s a hostile environment”

43:24 Where is Ebony Harper in five years?

45:44 #WWCA