California adds 4 states to travel ban for laws it says discriminate against LGBTQ community
Source: CNN
California has issued a ban on state-funded and state-sponsored travel to four more states that it says have laws discriminating against LGBTQ people. The travel ban was first put into effect January 1 when state measure AB 1887 became law. The law says California is "a leader in protecting civil rights and preventing discrimination" and should not support or finance "discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people." The travel ban list also includes states that California believes don't protect religious freedoms and states that it says use religious freedom as a basis of discrimination.
"Our country has made great strides in dismantling prejudicial laws that have deprived too many of our fellow Americans of their precious rights. Sadly, that is not the case in all parts of our nation, even in the 21st century," California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement Thursday. Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee were the original states banned by AB 1887, but Becerra added Alabama, Kentucky, South Dakota and Texas on Thursday, citing what he called new discriminatory legislation enacted against the LGBTQ community in those states. Alabama, South Dakota, and Texas all recently passed legislation that could prevent LGBT parents from adopting or fostering children and Kentucky passed a religious freedom bill that would allow students to exclude LGBTQ classmates from campus groups.
"While the California DOJ works to protect the rights of all our people, discriminatory laws in any part of our country send all of us several steps back," Becerra said. "That's why when California said we would not tolerate discrimination against LGBTQ members of our community, we meant it."
The law bans state-funded or state-sponsored travel by employees of state agencies and departments as well as members of boards, authorities, and commissions.
Read more: http://us.cnn.com/2017/06/23/us/california-travel-ban/index.html
Nice job California. Good to see a large state putting some financial pressure on these states that wish to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)Cha
(295,905 posts)BumRushDaShow
(127,302 posts)California is not just a "large state", it is the "largest state" in terms of population!
NotASurfer
(2,138 posts)when Six Flags has its Gay Pride event this summer? Sometimes I think Texas should change its state motto to "Texas: We Don't Like Your Kind Here"
oneshooter
(8,614 posts)California Air National Guard (all ANG units) training fields are in Texas.
All NG Combat Medic training is in Texas
Brother Buzz
(36,214 posts)So there's some wiggle room there.
SDJay
(1,089 posts)We Californians basically subsidize the folks who live in many of these states with our federal tax money as it is. No reason to send them state cash as well.
CanonRay
(14,036 posts)Usually they send a couple of officers to take charge of the prisoner after extradition has been granted, but if Cali won't pay for their travel, how do get wanted persons back to California for trial? Will people wanted in Cali now purposely flee to Texas, knowing they can't be extradited?
Brother Buzz
(36,214 posts)Exceptions
The Legislature created exceptions in AB 1887 that allow travel to banned states in certain circumstances. (Gov. Code, § 11139.8, subd. (c).) These exceptions only apply if travel to a subject state is "required." (Ibid.)
Specifically, AB 1887 does not apply to state travel that is required for any of the following purposes:
Enforcement of California law, including auditing and revenue collection.
Litigation.
To meet contractual obligations incurred before January 1, 2017.
To comply with requests by the federal government to appear before committees.
To participate in meetings or training required by a grant or required to maintain grant funding.
To complete job-required training necessary to maintain licensure or similar standards required for holding a position, in the event that comparable training cannot be obtained in California or a different state not subject to the travel prohibition.
For the protection of public health, welfare, or safety, as determined by the affected agency, department, board, authority, or commission, or by the affected legislative office.
(Gov. Code, § 11139.8, subd. (c).)
https://oag.ca.gov/ab1887
CanonRay
(14,036 posts)Good for California.
Brother Buzz
(36,214 posts)It was discussed at length on DU when it first passed, and we addressing all the potential problems. Buried somewhere in the body of the law states that state department heads have the final say on questionable travel trips.