California Lawmakers Repeal Travel Ban on States with Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
California may soon rescind its ban on state-funded travel to countries with anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and instead concentrate on an advertising campaign to spread anti-discrimination messaging in countries with conservative governments.
Beginning with Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee in 2017, California began prohibiting government travel to states with laws it deemed discriminatory against LGBTQ+ individuals.
With an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation over the last several years, the list has since expanded to include a total of 26 states, the most of them headed by Republicans.
The ban has stopped state employees, university researchers, and political officials from going to more than half of the nation using public funds.
The need to find alternate financing sources to cover the costs of their away games in states like Arizona and Utah has presented a substantial issue for athletic departments at public schools and institutions. It has also hampered a few of the state’s other legislative objectives, such as using public funds to cover the costs of out-of-state residents traveling to California for abortions.
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California’s Legislative Push for LGBTQ+ Rights
On Monday, the state Assembly of California passed legislation to lift the travel embargo. Toni Atkins, the state Senate president, sponsored a bill that would also launch a pro-LGBTQ+ outreach and advertising campaign in nations on the travel ban list.
Lesbian Atkins claimed that while the travel ban has contributed to bringing attention to numerous anti-LGBTQ+ problems, it has also had unforeseen consequences.
There was little discussion despite some Republicans voting against overturning the restriction.
Prior to being placed on the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom, the bill will travel to the Senate for a final vote. By October 14th, the Democratic governor must decide whether to sign it into law. A request for a comment regarding the law was not immediately responded to by the governor’s office.
The lifting of the travel ban comes amid fierce political battles over transgender rights taking place across the nation. These battles include attempts to outlaw gender-affirming medical care, ban trans athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports, and mandate that schools notify parents if their children request to use different pronouns or change their gender identity.
During the busy final two weeks of the legislative session, lawmakers have been debating roughly 1,000 bills, including this one. The Legislature must take action on these legislation before September 14th.
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Source: The Independent
