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California Bans State Travel to Texas

It's over an adoption rule restricting LGBT parents
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 23, 2017 2:45 AM CDT
California Bans State Travel to Texas Over Adoption Rule
"When California said we would not tolerate discrimination against LGBTQ members of our community, we meant it," Becerra said.   (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

A dispute between America's two most populous states is heating up: California has banned state-funded travel to Texas, citing a law that allows foster care agencies to deny adoptions to LGBT families and others based on "sincerely held religious beliefs," reports the Texas Tribune. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced Thursday that Texas was being added to the list of states it considers to have discriminatory laws. "While the California DOJ works to protect the rights of all our people, discriminatory laws in any part of our country send all of us several steps back," he said. The move bans California agencies and public universities from paying for work-related travel to Texas.

Alabama, Kentucky, and South Dakota were also added to the list Thursday. Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee were already there. Texas lawmakers are urging Gov. Greg Abbott, who has frequently bashed California on Twitter, to reciprocate, the Dallas Morning News reports. "California may be able to stop their state employees," Abbott spokesman John Wittman said Thursday, "but they can't stop all the businesses that are fleeing over taxation and regulation, and relocating to Texas." California's ban will affect college sports, though an exception for contracts already in place means teams might still be able to play in college basketball's Final Four in San Antonio next year, the Tribune notes. (More Texas stories.)

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