Senate committee clears way for travel ban to end + Greene sends $$$ to CA Republicans
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
ATKINS GARNERS DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT TO LIFT CALIFORNIA’S TRAVEL BAN
Seven years after California barred taxpayer-funded travel to states whose legislatures have enacted anti-LGBTQ legislation, that ban could soon go away.
The Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee on Monday cleared the way for SB 447, by Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego.
SB 447 effectively undoes AB 1887, the 2016 travel ban law which Atkins said she voted for. It also would fund creation of a nonpartisan, LGBTQ-inclusive ad campaign that would run in states that have passed anti-LGBTQ laws.
“It would focus on issues, not politics or politicians,” Atkins said.
Speaking to the committee on Monday, Atkins said that AB 1887 was well meaning, “but things have changed significantly and I believe a different approach is warranted.”
She said the travel ban has led to unintended consequences, including interfering with the state’s efforts to establish itself as a destination for out-of-state people seeking an abortions.
“One thing we discovered was that while we could pay for people’s plane tickets to California, we couldn’t pay for their tickets to go home because of the travel ban,” Atkins said.
Atkins had two witnesses testifiy in support of her bill — John Pérez, former Assembly Speaker and University of California regent, and Craig Pulsipher, legislative director for Equality California.
Pérez said that AB 1887 has forced the university system to play “bureaucratic shell games” as it avoids spending state funds on student, faculty or staff to banned states.
Pulsipher said the U.S. is awash in anti-LGBTQ legislation, with more than 400 such bills being introduced this year alone, with most targeting transgender people.
“At a time when our community is quite literally under attack, being on offense and proactively combating hate is now more important than ever,” he said.
No one spoke in opposition to the measure, which passed the committee by a 10-3 vote. The bill moves next to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
After the bill’s committee passage on Monday, Atkins sent out an email blast touting the support of many prominent Democratic elected officials, including Sens. Scott Wiener, Susan Talamantes Eggman, Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur and Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.
And what of Assemblyman Evan Low, D-Campbell, the author of AB 1887?
Low released a statement after Atkins first announced her bill saying that while he supports the concept of taking California’s message of inclusion to other states, “we shouldn’t completely end California’s state-funded travel ban without having an alternative action in combating discrimination. We can’t back down, especially as a record amount of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is being introduced.“
MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE CUTS CHECKS TO EMBATTLED CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS
When Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, called for a “national divorce” last February, Reps. Ken Calvert, Mike Garcia and Michelle Steel joined the majority of their fellow California Republicans in keeping quiet. Now, it appears that their decision not to openly criticize Greene has has paid off.
Greene’s most recent Federal Election Commission filing shows that Calvert, Garcia and Steel were among a handful of House Republicans to benefit from her largess, with each receiving $2,000 from the Georgia Republican.
According to Business Insider, Greene has spent a total of $311,000 this year to help her party win close races.
It’s unclear whether the campaign contributions will prove to be a liability in 2024, but Greene has firmly cemented herself as a far right Republican firebrand and all three California Republicans are in districts where the California Democratic Party has at least a slight registration advantage; Garcia’s district, CA-27, also voted for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, 55.1% to 42.7%.
None of the representatives responded to a Bee request for comment by deadline.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I’m introducing a Constitutional Amendment providing that U.S. Senators, like Members of the House, must always be elected rather than appointed.”
- Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, via Twitter.
Best of The Bee:
A Northern California man was found guilty Monday of assaulting officers with bear spray and obstructing the certification of 2020 election results at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, via Gillian Brassil.
Eating disorders are rising. California bill would require schools to address body shaming, via Maggie Angst.
Jackson Adam Pinney, accused of threatening the state Capitol and firing at a Roseville hospital during a two-city shooting spree last week, will return Thursday to a Placer County courtroom on a host of charges including attempted murder, via Darrell Smith.
California legislators are grappling over how to deal with facial recognition technology in policing, leading to tensions between one-time allies on the issue, via Lindsey Holden.
Chances are your federal income tax refund this year is going to be a lot less than it was last year. But your state refund could be higher, via David Lightman.
Rep. Kevin Kiley got a national stage in New York City Monday to paint California as a crime-infested state where liberal politicians and prosecutors are helping make life unsafe, via David Lightman.
