California adds 4 states to travel ban for laws it says discriminate against LGBTQ community

By Carma Hassan, CNN

Updated 2150 GMT (0550 HKT) June 23, 2017

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/23/us/california-travel-ban/index.html

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra speaks to journalists in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2016.

Story highlights

Alabama, South Dakota and Texas passed legislation that may prevent LGBT parents from adopting or fostering children
The ACLU of Northern California applauds the additions to the banned travel list

(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.

Why the ban?

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.

lt gov dan patrick texas lawmakers bathroom bill sot_00002530

"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.

Support for the list

The ACLU of Northern California and Rick Zbur with Equality California applauded the state's decision to widen the ban.

"These discriminatory laws in Texas, North Carolina, South Dakota, and other states are completely out of step with the values that make California the vibrant economic powerhouse that it is," Zbur said. "[I]t is imperative that California continue to denounce those actions publicly and financially."

There are exceptions to the ban, however. For example, if travel is required to maintain grant funding or licensure, or for auditing and revenue collection purposes.

And of course, anyone can travel to any of the states on the list in a personal capacity.

CNN's Keith Allen contributed to this report.

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Comment by Less Prone on July 2, 2017 at 10:01am: Just added Kaliphornia (Kali, Caliphate, horny) into my own personal travel ban.

Caliphate - The Ideology of the Islamic State (Prelude to a Talmudic World Order)

Comment by Less Prone on June 24, 2017 at 8:10am: It seems they have confused the order of some planned legislation in a list they got from the masters. They didn't realize they have to start controlling the border before they can enforce the travel ban. I'm sure they'll correct the mistake soon.

Comment by DTOM on June 24, 2017 at 6:19am: Yes, it's CNN, but hey got to check what the enemy are pushing...

And of course, anyone can travel to any of the states on the list in a personal capacity.

That's awfully kind of you to remind folks they have freedom of movement - at the moment...