When North Carolina in 2016 banned transgender people from using the bathroom of their gender identity in public buildings, California retaliated by banning state-funded travel to that state and any other state with laws it deemed discriminatory against LGBTQ people.
But seven years later, California now bans state-funded travel to nearly half of the country following a surge of anti-LGBTQ legislation in mostly Republican-led states.
“I think polarization is not working,” said Atkins, who is a lesbian. “We need to adjust our strategy. We know what we need to do, but we need to be able to be there to do it.” The law applies to state agencies, departments, boards, authorities and commissions - including the schools that are part of the University of California and the California State University systems.
The law has a number of exceptions, including travel necessary to enforce California laws, meet contractual obligations or to obtain grant funding. It also allows travel for the protection of health and safety, which is why a state-funded security detail could travel with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s family on a vacation to Montana last year.
Overturning the ban could be difficult in the California Legislature, where 10% of lawmakers now identify as LGBTQ. Atkins said she will formally introduce the legislation on Thursday, which must be vetted by lawmakers in both the state Senate and state Assembly before it could become law - a process that will take several months.
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