California prohibits state-funded or state-sponsored travel to several U.S. states. In the wake of Gov. Greg Abbott’s signing of a controversial adoption-related measure into law, Texas has become one of them. California’s attorney general says the Texas law is discriminatory against the LGBT community.
The California travel ban is far from the only time officials from the two states have clashed.
Lauren McGaughy, a reporter for the Dallas Morning News, says California’s ban on travel to states with laws it finds objectionable was passed several months ago, and did not include Texas until this week.
“The common thread through all of the laws that California is attacking is what they say is a discriminatory effect on the LGBT community,” McGaughy says. “The Texas law that California took issue with is a new law that was just signed, that would [give] faith-based adoption agencies extra legal cover to turn away prospective parents if they’re gay, transgender, or… even deny services to children in their care, such as contraception, if it doesn’t comport with their beliefs.”
McGaughy says the new law requires adoption agencies who deny services to clients for faith-based reasons to find an alternative provider.
The California ban only applies to travel related to state business, and there are exceptions to those rules. Law enforcement, and enforcement of pre-existing contracts with the state, are among them.
McGaughy says some college sports teams that receive taxpayer money have chosen to abide by the ban.
It’s possible that Texas officials will use the California law as an opportunity to continue a war of words with the Golden State.
“There’s no love lost between Gov. Abbott and California,” McGaughy says. “He frequently throws barbs their way over… social media. He actually told the Texas Tribune that he doesn’t care about the travel ban.”
Written by Shelly Brisbin.