California Attorney General Xavier Becerra touched off the escalating war of words on Thursday by adding four states to a list of places where California-funded or sponsored travel is prohibited, under a state law that restricts the expenditure of state funds to places that "authorize discrimination" against people due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Kamala Harris (D) quit the attorney general's office in January, is seeking election in 2018.
Thursday marked Becerra's first action on the matter since he took office, and he blamed the delayed rollout on the complications of analyzing four separate pieces of state legislation.
The potential impact of California's ban on the four states is uncertain because a California law allows exceptions on travel for contracts that are already in place. This restriction applies to state agencies, departments, boards, authorities, and commissions, including an agency, department, board, authority, or commission of the University of California, the Board of Regents of the University of California, and the California State University.
California Attorney Xavier Becerra announced the new states at a Thursday press conference, where he was joined by representatives from ACLU Northern California and Equality California. Spokesman for governors in those states said Friday they were reviewing the California ban and had no immediate comment.
"Texas is a big state", he said, but "the consequences are real" for LGBT people in Texas and elsewhere.
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The Attorney General spoke in San Francisco ahead of the city's annual Pride weekend. Jerry Brown and the state legislature would have to consider the matter.
Nonetheless, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott doesn't appear too concerned. The law allows child welfare providers - including faith-based adoption agencies - to deny adoptions to would-be parents based on "sincerely held religious beliefs".
Kentucky's new law could allow student groups at high schools and colleges to reject LGBT people out of religious objections. In so doing, California is carrying the water of the LGBT lobby in seeking to elevate one's sexual preferences to the level of constitutionally-protected doctrines like religious freedom.
The ban forbids state-funded travel to states that, since June 26, 2015, have enacted laws discriminating against people on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
"We believe that all human beings are equal and should be treated as such", Morris said.
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