Austin American-Statesman

Businesses fear fallout of LGBT laws

California’s travel ban worries some as just the start; Patrick says Texas refuses to kowtow to ‘radical left.’

- By Nolan Hicks and Marty Toohey nhicks@statesman.com mtoohey@statesman.com

California’s decision to ban its state employees from traveling to Texas on their taxpayers’ dime after Texas lawmakers passed new limits on gay parents adopting and fostering children set off a new round of recriminat­ions Friday between the nation’s two largest states.

But with the usual exchange of barbs came a new set of warnings from business groups to Texas lawmakers: Passing bills that restrict LGBT rights will take a toll on the Texas economy, pointing to California’s announceme­nt as a portent of things to come.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s decision Thursday came a month after Texas lawmakers raucously debated measures that would trim back rights for LGBT individual­s.

One bill, signed into law last week, allows faith-based foster care and adoption agencies to reject potential parents based on factors — including sexual orientatio­n — that run counter to their beliefs. Becerra’s announceme­nt singled out that measure.

The second fight centers around a push by Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to pass legislatio­n — similar to a controvers­ial North Carolina law — that would ban transgende­r-friendly bathroom and locker room policies in schools and government buildings.

“The recent decision by California to prohibit state travel to Texas ... is further confirmati­on that a discrimina­tory state brand creates unnecessar­y risk for the Texas economy,” said Jessica Shortall, managing director of Texas Competes, a coalition of businesses in Texas, which has been outspoken in its opposition to the

measures.

Patrick used the California ban’s announceme­nt Friday to raise money for his campaign.

“Our refusal to kowtow to those who demand political correctnes­s has upset the radical left,” Patrick said in an email. “Of course, California does have a reason to be angry at Texas. Thousands of folks fled California’s high taxes and liberal attitudes to come to Texas in 2015.”

Patrick has repeatedly argued the bathroom measure is necessary to protect privacy, decency and safety.

Critics say current law already bans peeping, molestatio­n and assault — and there have been no reported incidents involving transgende­r individual­s in restrooms across the state.

Gay-rights advocates in Texas backed the California Democrat’s decision, saying it sent a signal that limits on bathroom use by transgende­r people — and a generally hostile political environmen­t for LGBT issues — is wrongheade­d and shortsight­ed.

“Continuous­ly drafting policies that target transgende­r adults and kids to be treated unfairly is also not a Texas value,” said Chuck Smith, the CEO of Equality Texas. “The California travel ban is a reasonable response. People do not want their taxpayer dollars to financiall­y support fear, misinforma­tion and discrimina­tion.”

Texas is now one of eight states on California’s travel ban list, which was establishe­d after North Carolina enacted its own controvers­ial bathroom ban.

That law required transgende­r individual­s to use the bathrooms that aligned with their genders at birth — re-enforcing identities many spend lifetimes trying to shed and leading to an uproar and widespread boycott efforts against the state.

California taxpayers’ money “will not be used to let people travel to states who chose to discrimina­te,” Becerra said.

Three other states were added to California’s ban this year.

It’s unclear what practical effect California’s travel ban will have.

The law contains exemptions for some trips, such as travel needed to enforce California law and to honor contracts made before 2017.

Travel to conference­s or out-of-state training are examples of trips that could be blocked.

Becerra’s office couldn’t provide informatio­n about how often state employees have visited the newly banned states.

It was also unclear if the ban would impact California’s public university college sports programs.

A request for a legal opinion on whether athletic travel is exempt has been filed with Becerra’s office, but no ruling has been issued.

Fresno State, a public California university, is scheduled to play football against the University of Alabama — another state on the ban list — in Tuscaloosa this fall. State-funded San Jose State is expected to travel to Austin to face off against the University of Texas this fall.

For years, Texas politician­s have feuded with counterpar­ts in California — and taken great joy in announcing business relocation­s or expansions by companies based there.

Former Gov. Rick Perry made it a central theme. Current Gov. Greg Abbott’s staff echoed those sentiments when it attacked Becerra’s decision.

“California may be able to stop their state employees, but they can’t stop all the businesses that are fleeing overtaxati­on and regulation and relocating to Texas,” Abbott spokesman John Wittman said.

California’s unemployme­nt rate was 4.7 percent in May 2017, compared with 4.8 percent in Texas.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States