California Bans State-Funded Travel To States With New Anti-LGBT Laws

How should we fight discrimination? Do we strike out at those that strikeout against us? With the passing of AB-1887, it does seem that is what California is doing at this time. The legislature and now the Governor Jerry Brown have spoken against those that have created new laws since the United States Supreme Court's ruling on marriage equality. In a move to punish those states that have reacted negatively to the SCOTUS ruling on June 26, 2015, AB-1887 was ratified yesterday.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1887, Low. State government: discrimination: travel.

Existing law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, ethnic group identification, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, color, genetic information, or disability under any state program or activity. Existing law provides for officers and employees of the state, when away from their headquarters for state business, to receive travel expenses.

This bill would prohibit a state agency and the Legislature from requiring any of its employees, officers, or members to travel to, or approving a request for state-funded or state-sponsored travel to, any state that, after June 26, 2015, has enacted a law that voids or repeals, or has the effect of voiding or repealing, existing state or local protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression or has enacted a law that authorizes or requires discrimination against same-sex couples or their families or on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, as specified, subject to certain exceptions. The bill would require the Attorney General to develop, maintain, and post on his or her Internet Web site a current list of states that, after June 26, 2015, have enacted such a law. The bill would make it the responsibility of specified state entities to consult the list in order to comply with the travel and funding restrictions imposed by the bill. – legalinfo.legislature.ca.gov

Is this a gut punch to the states that made the knee jerk reaction to marriage equality? I say yes. Is this is what is needed? Possibly. Do you think it will have an effect on other state's policies? We hope so.

I want to say bravo to California for its efforts. It is a step in the right direction, butI think we as well need to look a little deeper. What about considering other anti-LGBT laws in fellow states? What about other forms of discrimination, not just ones enacted in the past year and a half?

Mic.com shared with us last year the map below, showing the states where it is legal to be fired because of your orientation or gender identity. I would think that being fired because of whom you may find attractive, whom you may love, or how you identify would be important to fight as well.

What about sex discrimination? In 2014, USAToday.com highlighted that there are many states with anti-sodomy laws.

A dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books 10 years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled they are unconstitutional.

One such state is Louisiana, where gay rights groups contend police have used anti-sodomy laws to target gay men. But state lawmakers sided with religious and conservative groups in refusing to repeal the law last week.

Of 14 states that had anti-sodomy laws, only Montana and Virginia have repealed theirs since the Supreme Court ruling, said Sarah Warbelow, legal director for the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay rights organization.

Warbelow says that in addition to Louisiana, anti-sodomy laws remain on the books in Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. – USAToday.com

Other sources have Kentucky still discriminating against same-sex sodomy.

California's new anti-LGBT discrimination law has limited travel based on states that have enacted fairly new laws against LGBT citizens. Will Governor Brown and the Attorney General stick to that? "The bill would require the Attorney General to develop, maintain, and post on his or her Internet Web site a current list of states that, after June 26, 2015, have enacted such a law."

Do you think the law should go further?

Go back in time more to fight discrimination?

Do you think other states will join in?

We want to say a HUGE BRAVO California. The fact that this law was supported and passed shows tow things. 1) that it is needed and 2) that there are people that support the LGBT cause to be treated equally. Thank you.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

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