California admits trans law failure as it U-turns on attempting to manipulate other US states
The ban would be replaced with a campaign encouraging LGBT awareness
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California has U-turned on a law which bans state-funded travel to states with anti-LGBT laws.
Lawmakers have voted to reverse the travel ban and replace it with a campaign that encourages LGBT acceptance in Republican states.
In such states, many anti-trans laws have been put in place and the new Californian campaign would attempt to tackle this.
The bill’s primary sponsor Senator Toni Atkins said: “What we need is messaging that really goes to the heart of what regular people all across this country want, which is to live in peace.”
The bill now head to the Senate for a final vote before Californian Governor Gavin Newsom decides whether to sign it into law.
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The Golden State first enacted the ban in 2017, and since then has targeted 26 states.
The first states where the state-funded travel ban was imposed were Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
The ban has stopped elected officials, state workers and university scholars from travelling to the listed states using government-funded money.
Under the proposed law, it will be replaced with a campaign known as the BRIDGE - Building and Reinforcing Inclusive, Diverse, Gender-Supportive Equality – project.
The new bill “would create a fund that could be used to create non-partisan, inclusive messaging, discourage discrimination, and help members of the LGBTQ+ community feel less isolated”, according to its website.
Californian government officials said the travel ban led to many unintended consequences.
Democratic Assembly member Rick Zbur said: “In many instances, the travel ban has inadvertently caused California to isolate its services and citizens in a time when we are leading the nation in ensuring inclusivity and freedom.”
With nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ bills having been introduced in legislatures nationwide this year alone, now more than ever, we need to reach into those communities with messages of support, inclusivity and understanding.”
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The new bill would attempt to make LGBT people feel less isolated
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Another Assembly member, Chris Ward, added: “If something is not working, I think it’s imperative on us to be able to switch gears.”
“This bill is going to be able to provide that support and nurturing that I know a lot of our fellow Americans are lacking right now.”
The travel ban was passed in 2016 as a response to a North Carolina bill which banned transgender people from using bathrooms which were the opposite to their assigned sex at birth.
The bill sparked a huge backlash and was fully repealed in 2020.
The proposed law which would reverse the ban, known as Senate Bill 447, will now head to the Senate for a final vote before Californian Governor Gavin Newsom decides whether to sign it into law.
California just announced they will be celebrating Trans Awareness Month from next year onwards.
The state has also been caught up in controversy after the Californian state attorney general was revealed to be suing a school board for outing transgender students to their parents.