California-funded travel to Oklahoma has been banned, starting June 22, because of a new Oklahoma law that allows adoption agencies to deny placement services to same-sex parents, state officials announced Friday. “California taxpayers are taking a stand against bigotry,” Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in announcing the travel ban. “California will not use state resources to support states that pass discriminatory laws.” A California law passed last year prohibits state-sponsored travel to states with laws that allow discrimination based on sexual or gender orientation. Seven other states are already on the ban list: Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota and Texas. “Our taxpayer dollars do not fund bigotry,” Becerra said. “No exceptions.” In Oklahoma City, an official with the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau said she is unaware of any cancellations in visitor bookings because of the dispute, but that it could be too soon to tell. “I’ve not seen an effect,” said Sandy Price, vice president of tourism sales. “I’d hate for there to be a downturn because of this.” Cynthia Reid, vice president of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, said her chamber and its members had fought against the adoption law. “We opposed the legislation, as we oppose all discriminatory legislation,” she said. “One of the reasons we opposed it is for this reason (the California ban) right here.” The California ban could have a “marginal impact on any (Oklahoma) conference involving California state employees,” she said, adding that the chamber “hasn’t done a full assessment.” Chamber President Roy Williams said his group had asked the governor not to sign the bill, without success, and that he was hopeful the courts would overturn it. Last month, Oklahoma’s governor signed the fiercely debated bill, opposed by gay rights groups and many businesses, that also allows private agencies to refuse to place LGBT foster children in homes. “Every child deserves a loving, supportive family, and it’s neither pro-child, nor pro-family, for Oklahoma to deny them one,” said Rick Zbur, the executive director of Equality California, a gay civil rights organization based in Los Angeles. “California taxpayers won’t subsidize Oklahoma’s — or any state’s — discriminatory policies.” Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF<doc-sep>California is banning state-funded travel to Oklahoma because of policies it considers discriminatory toward LGBTQ people. Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced the ban Friday in response to a policy adopted in Oklahoma last month that allows private adoption and foster agencies to deny placements based on religious or moral grounds. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra speaks in Sacramento, California on Feb. 20, 2018. Rich Pedroncelli / AP “California taxpayers are taking a stand against bigotry and in support of those who would be harmed by this prejudiced policy,” Becerra said in a statement. Opponents say Oklahoma's adoption policy is designed to discriminate against same-sex couples or LGBTQ parents. Oklahoma’s Catholic bishops and the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma support the law. Becerra’s decision is based on a 2017 California law that bans state-funded or state-sponsored travel to states that “authorize or require discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.” LGBTQ advocates in both California and Oklahoma applauded California's newest travel ban, which goes into effect on June 22. "We were grateful that the state of California prioritizes equality for everyone, and we hope that lawmakers in Oklahoma understand that there are consequences for discrimination," Troy Stevenson, executive director of Freedom Oklahoma, told NBC News. Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California, stressed the travel ban is "not just a policy argument" but "about real lives." "Every child deserves a loving, supportive family, and it’s neither pro-child, nor pro-family, for Oklahoma to deny them one," he said in a statement. California already bars official travel to Texas, Alabama, South Dakota, Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, Mississippi and Texas. Collegiate California sports teams have still attended games in the states.<doc-sep>California on Friday announced a ban on state-funded and state-sponsored travel to Oklahoma in response to the state's controversial LGBTQ adoption bill, USA Today reported. "California taxpayers are taking a stand against bigotry and in support of those who would be harmed by this prejudiced policy," California Attorney General Xavier Becerra Xavier BecerraHHS commits .8B for testing uninsured people for COVID-19 Becerra calls for 'transparent' investigation into COVID-19 origins Taiwan presses US on COVID-19 vaccines MORE said Friday. ADVERTISEMENT Under a 2017 California law, the state's attorney general is required to keep a list of all states subject to a travel ban because of “laws that authorize or require discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression,” Becerra said in a statement obtained by USA Today. The Oklahoma law, passed last month, allows adoption and foster care agencies to reject same-sex couples on religious grounds. California's ban, announced by Becerra, came on the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month. "There appears to be more and more Californians sharing our values as we are seeing more Californians move to Oklahoma," Michael McNutt, a spokesman for Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R), said in a statement to USA TODAY. "With our state’s economy being as strong as it is, we won’t miss a few Californians traveling on state business showing up in our state." Fallin signed the adoption bill into law last month and has said the law does not restrict LGBTQ individuals from adopting. The travel ban will go into effect on June 22. Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas have also been subjected to travel bans.<doc-sep>
Add Oklahoma to the list of states to which California is banning state-funded and state-sponsored travel. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced Friday that as a result of "discriminatory legislation" that became Oklahoma law last month, the western state will prohibit travel to its midwestern counterpart. A 2017 California law requires that its attorney general keeps a list of states subject to a state travel ban because of "laws that authorize or require discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression," Becerra's office said in a statement. "California taxpayers are taking a stand against bigotry and in support of those who would be harmed by this prejudiced policy." he said. Oklahoma becomes the ninth state subject to the state-funded ban. Travel to Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas had previously been prohibited due to the 2017 law. More:Citing LGBT discrimination, California bans state travel to Kentucky and three other states In May, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed a bill that allows private adoption agencies to deny same-sex couples from their adoption services on the basis of "religious or moral convictions or policies." The bill sparked backlash from LGBTQ advocates. Fallin, a Republican, defended the bill in a statement after signing it, saying "the state will not be in any way restricting current practice allowing LGBTQ individuals and couples fostering or adopting. It does not ban same-sex adoption or foster care in Oklahoma." Michael McNutt, a spokesperson for Fallin, also defended the bill after California announced its ban. "There appears to be more and more Californians sharing our values as we are seeing more Californians move to Oklahoma," he said in a statement to USA TODAY. "With our state’s economy being as strong as it is, we won’t miss a few Californians traveling on state business showing up in our state." LGBTQ advocates in California applauded the ban, which goes into effect June 22. "Every child deserves a loving, supportive family, and it’s neither pro-child, nor pro-family, for Oklahoma to deny them one," Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur said in a statement. California's announcement came on the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month. Follow Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller