L.A. County will ban “official business” travel to Florida and Texas in response to their controversial LGBTQ laws.

“Official business” travel constitutes any travel that would normally be funded by L.A. County, according to the Board of Supervisors, who unanimously voted to pass the motion, Tuesday.

“We know that there’s so much homophobia that’s going on right now that we have to do more,” Supervisor Chair Hilda Solis said. “I’m here to stand up and say all voices count.”

On March 28, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the “Parental Rights in Education” bill, which opposers have called the “Don’t say gay bill.”

The portion of the bill in dispute reads that it “prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels; requires school districts to notify parents of healthcare services; authorizes parent to bring action against school district to obtain declaratory judgment; provides for additional award of injunctive relief, damages, & reasonable attorney fees & court costs to certain parents.”

Supervisor Janice Hahn said the bill’s notion of investigating “gender-affirming treatment” as child abuse, “really takes away from what real child abuse is.”

The travel ban will extend to Texas as Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick was in favor of the Florida bill and recently said he would implement his own and “make this law a top priority in the next session.”

The L.A. County travel ban was presented by Supervisors Solis and Sheila Kuehl, the former saying the ban may be lifted if the L.A. County CEO felt it would “seriously harm the county’s interests.”

“The law in Florida would perpetuate a culture of bullying, secrecy, shame and fear,” Supervisor Kuehl said. “It’s just a position we take, —we’re not going to spend money to go to your states and sends a message that we won’t support this egregious behavior.”

 

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