California Adding 10th State, South Carolina, To List Of Prohibited State-Funded Travel
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – California is adding another state to the list it won't pay for travel to in protest of discriminatory laws.
Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced the impending restriction to South Carolina on Tuesday.
The move comes after a bill, H-4950, enacted last year in South Carolina that Becerra's office argues will enable faith-based child placement agencies in the state to discriminate, particularly against members of the LGBTQ community.
South Carolina recently enacted a law allowing child-placing agencies to discriminate against prospective parents. We stand strongly against any form of discrimination, so, effective April 15, California will restrict state-funded travel to South Carolina. https://t.co/yUhXt8y3gS pic.twitter.com/eodf91atly
— Archive - Attorney General Becerra (@AGBecerra) April 2, 2019
"The State of South Carolina recently enacted a measure that sanctions discrimination against families in the placement of children in need of homes," Becerra said in a release. "The State of California stands strongly against any form of discrimination."
Becerra's office also noted several other moves taken by South Carolina politicians that could make it easier for faith-based foster care organizations to discriminate.
South Carolina will join a list of nine other states that California has banned state-funded and state-sponsored travel to. Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas are already on that list.
Assembly Bill 1887, adopted in California in 2017, prohibits state-funded or state-sponsored travel to states with laws that discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
The ban for South Carolina takes effect April 15.