I’m a State Senator representing nearly a million people during a pandemic. AMA

I’m Scott Wiener. I’m a California State Senator from San Francisco and a member of the LGBT community. I'm working to protect our community from COVID-19 and its impacts, including:

-Crafting eviction and foreclosure moratoriums

-Advocating for an end to the FDA’s LGBTQ blood donation ban

-Fighting to keep cannabis stores open

-Working to ensure freelancers and gig workers can get safety net benefits

-Ensuring people facing financial troubles can access food

-And more

I just introduced legislation – SB 939 – to place a moratorium on commercial evictions during this crisis so our small businesses have a fighting chance at reopening. I’m co-authoring AB 828, to put a moratorium on renter evictions.

When San Francisco shut down all non-essential businesses, I fought to get cannabis stores re-opened because cannabis is medicine for so many. The San Francisco Department of Public Health listened, and now dispensaries are open.

I'm also a gay man, and am barred from giving blood (despite the massive blood shortage we have due to COVID-19) because of outdated, discriminatory regulations the FDA has in place. I'm calling on the FDA to reverse its ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood if they haven’t been celibate for the past year.

EDIT: Wow, thanks for all the questions/comments. Hang tight, am going to do my best to get to as many as possible over the next couple of days.