Another Pride celebration is upon us and I join GLBT San Diegans and Pride revelers to celebrate advances that we’ve made this year.

As an openly gay elected official, I’m always looking at what I can do to achieve equality for the GLBT community. I frequently ask myself: ‘Am I doing enough, am I fighting enough or am I pushing too hard?’

There is a time and place for everything, and a large part of political savvy means knowing what to fight for, how to fight for it, and when to fight it.

In these past few months I’ve learned from the rulings in Canada and the Supreme Court that we’re on the right track and that the world is perhaps more progressive and ready for change than we sometimes assume.

In early June, an Ontario appeals court ruled as unconstitutional Canada’s definition of marriage as only between a man and a woman. This decision to include same-sex couples in the definition of marriage serves as an example of what progress can be achieved and how “controversial” decisions can be made at the highest level of government and accepted in the mainstream.

Here in our own country, we made a significant stride last month as well. The Supreme Court’s landmark decision to invalidate the Texas statute criminalizing private sexual activity between same-sex adults protects the basic dignity and privacy of all Americans. This decision rightly overturns the laws in 13 states that criminalize private acts between consenting adults. This is a tremendous victory, not only for the GLBT community, but also for all Americans.

This progress — especially here in the U.S. by the largely conservative Supreme Court — proves to me we’re headed in the right direction.

As a member of the State Assembly, my job is to represent the interests of my constituents. I do this by working on a better regional governance model for San Diego, improving our state’s infrastructure, cleaning up the San Diego River, bringing gas prices down, helping our state conserve water and more. But, as an elected official who is openly gay, I am also committed to working on issues important to the gay and lesbian community — and providing equal benefits for the working GLBT community is at the top of my list.

So what is happening at the Capitol for the GLBT community?

Last year, we created the legislative LGBT Caucus. The caucus’ role is to present a forum for the California legislature to discuss issues that affect GLBT Californians, and to further the goal of equality and justice for all Californians. The formation of the LGBT Caucus made California the first state in the country to recognize an official caucus of openly-GLBT state legislators. I’m honored to serve as chair of this caucus.

The caucus’ focus and commitment are paying off. Our bills are making their way through the legislature. The Judiciary Committee of the California State Senate endorsed two landmark bills last month that would provide significant rights and responsibilities to registered domestic partners in California and reduce discrimination in the workplace.

AB 205 would grant registered domestic partners nearly all the rights, benefits, and responsibilities currently granted only to spouses under state law. AB 205 will further the state’s commitment to promoting dedicated family relationships. It has passed the Assembly and is in the Senate.

AB 17, a bill I’ve authored, would prohibit state agencies from contracting with businesses that discriminate in providing benefits to an employee with a spouse or an employee with a registered domestic partner. It also passed the Assembly.

AB 205 and AB 17 constitute half of the legislative priorities of the LGBT Caucus. The other two priority bills previously approved by Senate policy committees are AB 196, prohibiting gender-based discrimination in employment and housing, and AB 458, the Foster Care Anti-Discrimination Act of 2003.

In addition to legislative priorities, the caucus also seeks to promote recognition, understanding and acceptance of GLBT people at the Capitol through non-legislative activities.

This past June, for the second year in a row, the LGBT Caucus and other members of the California legislature officially hosted the LGBT Pride Exhibit in the rotunda of the State Capitol.

This exhibit gives thousands of people who visit the State Capitol a great opportunity to better understand the lives of GLBT people everywhere.

I, along with the other caucus members — Senator Sheila James Kuehl and Assemblymembers Jackie Goldberg, John Laird, and Mark Leno — will continue to fight for you in Sacramento. As our world and country continue to make progress, so will the state of California. We’re working for you, and every Pride weekend, it’s our goal to come to you with progress that is meaningful to our community.

Thanks for your support, and I’ll see you at the parade!