Posted on 06/02/2018 8:07:21 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
California's attorney general announced Friday that he's imposing a ban on state-funded travel to Oklahoma in response to a new law that allows faith-based adoption agencies to deny placement services to same-sex parents. Eight other states have earlier been brought under California's so-called anti-discrimination travel ban.
"California will not use state resources to support states that pass discriminatory laws," Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Friday, according to the Los Angeles Times. "California taxpayers are taking a stand against bigotry and in support of those who would be harmed by this prejudiced policy."
The ban will take effect on June 22.
California prohibits state-funded travel also to Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, South Dakota and Kansas due to their laws that California deems "discriminatory."
"California is a state of inclusion and has long stood up against discrimination in any form, within our borders and beyond," Assemblyman Evan Low, a Democrat from Campbell and chair of the Legislature's LGBT Caucus, was quoted as saying.Sign up
"Every child deserves a loving, supportive family, and it's neither pro-child, nor pro-family, for Oklahoma to deny them one," said Rick Zbur, the executive director of Equality California. "California taxpayers won't subsidize Oklahoma's — or any state's — discriminatory policies."
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed the bill on May 11. "The bill will help continue Oklahoma's successful placement of children with a broad array of loving families and basically maintain the status quo by setting forth in statute practices which have successfully worked for the best interest of Oklahoma children," Fallin said after signing it.
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter criticized the ban.
"This action substitutes rhetoric for responsible adoption policy," Hunter said in a statement, according to Tulsa World. "Oklahoma puts the interests of children ahead of political games. It is utterly undeniable that our state, like many others, needs more participants in the foster and adoption systems — not less."
Hunter added, "Senate Bill 1140 encourages increased participation by barring the type of discrimination we have seen in various parts of the country, like Massachusetts, where religious organizations like Catholic Charities have been excluded from the adoption field."
In March, the city of Philadelphia announced that it would stop Catholic Social Services from placing foster children due to its policy against same-sex couples. However, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia said it would not change its policy.
"Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia recognizes the vital importance of the foster care program in our city and is proud to provide safe and nurturing foster environments to young people in need," the archdiocese's chief communications officer, Kenneth Gavin, said at the time, according to Catholic News Agency.
In February, Georgia's state senate also passed a bill that would exempt faith-based adoption agencies from being compelled to place orphans with same-sex couples if it goes against their religious beliefs.
The bill wouldn't prevent gay couples from adopting, but it noted that should a faith-based agency refuse to accept a referral, the state would "immediately refer those services to another child-placing agency."
What do you mean, banning travel to anywhere? Are they prisoners in California? That sounds like a goveernor who considers himself the dictator of that state.. and practicing to see how easy it’s going to be to become one.
A rule that all liberals follow: If you disagree with a liberal position, you are not just wrong. You are a hater and a bigot. And you deserve to be shunned.
The Mexican colony of California asserts its foreignness once again.
Only 40 states to go and Calif. Gov’t employees won’t be able to go anywhere on official business.
For some reason, it makes me think of the movie “Pleasantville” and how people in the 1950s town talked about the two roads and that they went nowhere. I wonder if that is what the left in California are inadvertently creating with these polices.
Don’t you need a passport to enter the United States from California anyway?
I wish Kalifornians would quit moving to Austin.
I betting they’ll never ban NY or Hawaii.
Who gives a s#!t !!!!!
The first 8 states don’t seem to mind too much, as none have changed their laws to suit the preferences of California’s representatives... or even opposed the threats of actions from CA.
And Sooners rejoice!
Yeh, and I am ashamed to say I live in this moronic liberal state.
We should all ban travel and business to California. Trump can do this via executive order, much like Obama did to discourage government travel to Vegas. He should lead by example, then the rest of us should do the same. No unnecessary travel or business in California until they undo their sanctuary laws, recognize the 2nd amendment for all US citizens, etc. Time to treat them as a pariah state, put ICE on all roads out of the state, but unnecessary federal funding... Bet they’d change their tune real quick, else the next crop of state leaders can begin fixing this mess.
and so we will exclude any state who doesn't do as we demand.
My house is about 3 blocks from the new Apple HQ. Last time I checked on Zillow and RedFin, it’s valued near $2M. I just need the price to stay up for another couple of years so I can sell it, move to another state with good tech jobs and leave the insanity behind. California is where I grew up, went to college, was married and divorced and have spent my working life - but the state is beyond parody now.
So how often would a California employee travel to Oklahoma? And why would they? Is Oklahoma a center for States to send employees to? So the “ban” basically means nothing.
But state-funded travel to Mexico is still all right, isn’t it, California? They haven’t legalized gay marriage, and I doubt they’re pro-transgender there either.
Reality is Californians voted down gay marriage not even ten full years ago, in November 2008. I doubt regular people there are entirely on-board the crazy train with their State Assembly, even if they do ultimately vote Democratic.
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