SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced June 1 that his state will ban state-funded and state-sponsored travel to Oklahoma because of Oklahoma’s law that allegedly discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. California’s ban will go into effect Friday, June 22.
According to a press release from Becerra's office, Oklahoma's Senate Bill 1140 is "a child placement measure that allows private adoption agencies to deny placement services to same-sex parents and to refuse to place LGBTQ foster children in homes based on religious or moral grounds."
“California law requires that my office identify and maintain a list of states which are off-limits for state-funded or state-sponsored travel,” Becerra said in a statement. “California will not use state resources to support states that pass discriminatory laws. The law enacted in Oklahoma allows discrimination against LGBTQ children and aspiring LGBTQ parents who must navigate the adoption process. California taxpayers are taking a stand against bigotry and in support of those who would be harmed by this prejudiced policy.”
Following Becerra’s decision, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter released a statement.
“This action substitutes rhetoric for responsible adoption policy,” Hunter said. “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. 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.”