On the first day of Pride Month 2018, it was announced that California is banning state-funded and state-sponsored travel to yet another state as a result of discriminatory legislation.
On Friday, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra made the announcement in a statement obtained by USA Today.
Under a 2017 CA law, the state’s attorney general is required by to keep a list of all states subject to a travel ban because of “laws that authorize or require discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.”
The Oklahoma bill in question, signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin last month, allows adoption and foster care agencies to reject same-sex couples on the grounds of religious beliefs.
"California taxpayers are taking a stand against bigotry and in support of those who would be harmed by this prejudiced policy," said Becerra.
Michael McNutt, a spokesperson for Fallin, defended the Oklahoma law later on Friday. "There appears to be more and more Californians sharing our values as we are seeing more Californians move to Oklahoma,” he said in a statement. "With our state’s economy being as strong as it is, we won’t miss a few Californians traveling on state business showing up in our state.”
An anti-LGBTQ+ adoption bill similar to the one in Oklahoma was signed into law in Kansas two weeks ago by Governor Jeff Colyer. Kansas has already been subjected to a California travel ban on the grounds of the 2017 anti-discrimination law, along with Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.
California’s Oklahoma travel ban will go into effect June 22.