As of Tuesday, April 6, 2022, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously decided to suspend travel to Texas and Florida due to their recent anti-LGBTQ bills. The state of Texas passed an order stating the Department of Family and Protective Services has the right to investigate parents of transgender youth for child abuse. Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” on the other hand, does not permit teachings on sexual orientation or gender identity between kindergarten and third grade. Thus, L.A. county and its ban are setting an example to the rest of the United States on how it will not stand for this transphobic and homophobic legislation.
The ban introduced by Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis is specifically preventing travel related to county business that is paid for with taxpayer money. The only exception to the ban is if it will “seriously harm the county’s interest.” Additionally, the ban does not apply to private citizens.
Those in Florida have criticized the travel ban, such as Governor DeSantis’s spokesperson Christina Peshawa. Peshawa has stated that Florida has been a destination spot for tourists during strict mandates and restrictions. In addition, according to the Governor of Florida’s spokesperson, the state brings upon freedom and normalcy, which, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, can be appreciated.
For the time being, the ban will remain until Florida or Texas decides to suspend the recent laws. This new order by Los Angeles county is something never heard of before. The board of supervisors are not the only people trying to have Florida and Texas suspend their laws. Celebrities such as Ariana grande have committed to donating millions of dollars to remove any anti-LGBTQ laws from being passed.
This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group Blog. If you are in need of legal help, the CIMA Law Group is a law firm in Phoenix, Arizona which possesses expertise in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury,
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