California bans state-funded travel to states with anti-LGBT laws

California has banned state-funded and state-sponsored travel to North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kansas.

The ban is the result of Assembly Bill 1887, in which the state’s legislature determined “California must take action to avoid supporting or financing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.”

The bill, signed into law in September 2016, went into effect January 1, 2017. It was co-sponsored by Equality California and co-authored by Assemblyman Evan Low in response to discriminatory legislation in North Carolina.

Low represents the 28th Assembly District, which encompasses parts of the South Bay and Silicon Valley. Prior to his election in the Assembly in 2014, he served as a Mayor and City Councilmember in Campbell, California.

“California has said clearly, our taxpayer dollars will not help fund bigotry and hatred,” Evan stated in a press release. “If other states try and pass similar laws, we will work to stop them. Our zero-tolerance policy says there is no room for discrimination of any kind in California, and AB 1887 ensures that discrimination will not be tolerated beyond our borders.”

via The Advocate