California keeps travel ban despite ‘bathroom bill’ repeal

RALEIGH, N.C. – California’s attorney general says North Carolina’s repeal of a strongly criticized “bathroom bill” doesn’t protect LGBT people from discrimination. Consequently, he says the country’s most-populous state will continue its ban on taxpayer-funded travel to North Carolina.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra (ha-vee-AIR buh-CEH-rah) announced the decision in a statement Wednesday.

A California law went into effect in January barring state-funded travel or other spending in states with laws that discriminate against LGBT people. The law leaves it up to Becerra to keep a list of which states are banned.

Gay-rights groups argue North Carolina’s repeal of House Bill 2 is inadequate because it bars local governments from passing nondiscrimination ordinances covering sexual orientation and gender identity until December 2020.

California also bans taxpayer-funded travel to Kansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.