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California Adds Oklahoma To List Of Prohibited State-Funded Travel

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - California won't pay for travel to Oklahoma starting June 22, 2018.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced Friday the state will prohibit state-funded and state-sponsored travel to Oklahoma. the reason? Oklahoma's governor signed a bill in May allowing private adoption agencies to deny placement services to same-sex couples. The bill can also allow those agencies to refuse to place LGBTQ foster children in homes based on religious or moral grounds. The bill takes effect on November 1, 2018.

In 2017 California adopted Assembly Bill 1887. It prohibits state-funded or state-sponsored travel to states with laws that discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

READ ALSO: California's State-Sponsored Travel Ban Could Hit Colleges Hard

Attorney General Becerra said, "California taxpayers are taking a stand against bigotry and in support of those who would be harmed by this prejudiced policy."

AB 1887 does allow for some travel exceptions:

  • Enforcement of California law, including auditing and revenue collection.
  • Litigation.
  • To meet contractual obligations incurred before January 1, 2017.
  • To comply with requests by the federal government to appear before committees.
  • To participate in meetings or training required by a grant or required to maintain grant funding.
  • To complete the job-required training necessary to maintain licensure or similar standards required for holding a position, in the event that comparable training cannot be obtained in California or a different state not subject to the travel prohibition.
  • For the protection of public health, welfare, or safety, as determined by the affected agency, department, board, authority, or commission, or by the affected legislative office.

Oklahoma will be the 9th state where state-funded or state-sponsored travel is prohibited. The others are Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas.

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