California has banned state-funded travel to South Carolina due to what it considers discriminatory practices against members of the LGBTQ community.
California attorney general Xavier Becerra made the announcement, citing a 2017 state law known as California Assembly Bill 1887, which bans travel to states that authorize discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
"The State of South Carolina recently enacted a measure that sanctions discrimination against families in the placement of children in need of homes. The State of California stands strongly against any form of discrimination," Becerra said in a statement.
The South Carolina law known as H-4950 enables private faith-based child-placement agencies to reject those who do not share their religious beliefs.
"Although H-4950 does not mention sexual orientation explicitly, it is written broadly enough to authorize such discrimination," Becerra said.
In fact, California already bans official travel to Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.
The state of New York and six other states have a ban in place for state-funded travel to North Carolina over a similar law-and that includes college athletes who compete at state-sponsored schools.
The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce declined to comment on the California ban, but Brian Symmes, a spokesman for South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster posted a sarcastic response on Twitter in which he rhetorically asked, "How will South Carolina recover?"
Later, Symmes told the South Carolina newspaper The State that "If Attorney General Becerra was interested in the truth, he would know this is all about protecting South Carolinians' religious freedom-regardless of their faith. While he tries to score cheap political points, we'll be more than happy to continue recruiting businesses that are leaving overregulated, high tax states like California to come to South Carolina and create opportunities for our people."
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