california travel ban update

California may end travel ban to states with anti-LGBTQ laws

When North Carolina in 2016 banned transgender people from using the bathroom of their gender identity in public buildings, California retaliated by banning state-funded travel to that state and any other state with laws it deemed discriminatory against LGBTQ people.

But seven years later, California now bans state-funded travel to nearly half of the country following a surge of anti-LGBTQ legislation in mostly Republican-led states.

The prohibition means sports teams at public colleges and universities have had to find other ways to pay for road games in states like Arizona and Utah. And it has complicated some of the state’s other policy goals, like  using state money to pay for people who live in other states to travel to California for abortions.

Wednesday, state Senate leader Toni Atkins announced legislation that would end the ban and replace it with an advertising campaign in those states that promotes acceptance and inclusion for the LGBTQ community. The bill would set up a fund to pay for the campaign, which would accept private donations and state funding — if any is available.

“I think polarization is not working,” said Atkins, who is a lesbian. “We need to adjust our strategy. We know what we need to do, but we need to be able to be there to do it.”

Overturning the ban could be difficult in the California Legislature, where  10% of lawmakers now identify as LGBTQ.  Assembly member Evan Low, a Democrat from Campbell who  authored the travel ban in 2016 , said he supports the advertising campaign but said “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,” said Low, who is gay.

California’s travel ban has been in effect since 2017. The state Attorney General keeps a list of states subject to the ban, a list that has grown quickly as several states have passed laws restricting doctors from providing gender-affirming care to minors and stopping transgender women and girls from participating in  school sports consistent with their gender identity .

Today, the  ban includes  23 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee,  Texas , Utah and West Virginia.

The law applies to state agencies, departments, boards, authorities and commissions — including the schools that are part of the University of California and the California State University systems.

That means schools like the University of California, Berkeley, can’t use state money for their football teams to travel to away games in Arizona and Utah — schools it must play against because they are in the same athletic conference.

The  San Diego State University  men’s basketball team will play in the Final Four on Saturday in Houston, a state that is on the no-travel list. The team got around the ban because the NCAA, not California taxpayers, is footing the bill for the team’s travel. But the ban does mean the school can’t schedule football games against teams in Texas, said Jamie McConeghy, senior associate athletic director of communications and media relations for San Diego State.

The law has a number of exceptions, including travel necessary to enforce California laws, meet contractual obligations or to obtain grant funding. It also allows travel for the protection of health and safety, which is why a state-funded security detail could travel with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s family on a vacation to Montana last year.

But it has complicated some of the Democrats’ policy goals in surprising ways. Last year, California agreed to spend $20 million to help women in other states travel to California for abortions in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

“We could help someone fly or travel to California, but when they had to go back to Texas or Florida or whatever any of those states, we actually couldn’t legitimately spend money to send them home,” Atkins said. “It starts to get complicated.”

Atkins said she will formally introduce the legislation on Thursday, which must be vetted by lawmakers in both the state Senate and state Assembly before it could become law — a process that will take several months.

“When you disagree with someone, you should try to open their eyes to change hearts and minds, not pretend they don’t exist,” said Assemblymember Greg Wallis, a Republican from Bermuda Dunes. “I’m glad California is coming around to that approach.”

Marc Stein, a history professor at San Francisco State University who is gay and does research on queer history, said he would want to hear from LGBTQ communities in other states before deciding whether he supports lifting the travel ban.

But Stein said he would like to see an exception made for social justice research. Shortly after California’s travel ban took place, he said he had trouble booking a trip to North Carolina shortly after the travel ban took effect so he could research the case of a transgender woman who had been arrested for sodomy in the 1960s.

Stein said the university eventually found a way to fund his research, but said the barrier remains for other researchers, particularly students studying for advanced degrees.

“I think Ph.D. students in California are being discouraged from pursuing research projects that would require extensive trips to the list of states which is now almost half the country,” he said.

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California lawmakers vote to end travel ban to states with anti-LGBTQ+ laws

FILE - Senate President Pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins, D-San Diego, the first openly LGBTQ+ person to lead the statehouse’s upper chamber, speaks at the inauguration of Karen Bass, the first Black woman elected Los Angeles mayor, on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022. The state Assembly passed Atkins’ bill to end a ban on state-funded travel to states with anti-LGBTQ+ law on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California may soon lift a ban on state-funded travel to states with anti-LGBTQ+ laws and instead focus on an advertising campaign to bring anti-discrimination messages to red states.

California started banning official travel to states with laws it deemed discriminatory against LGBTQ+ people in 2017, starting with Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee. Since then, the list has grown to include a total of 26 states, most of them Republican-led, following a surge of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation these past few years.

The prohibition has prevented elected officials, state workers and university scholars from traveling to more than half of the country using the state’s money. That has posed a significant challenge to sports teams at public colleges and universities, which have had to find alternative funding sources to pay for their road games in states like Arizona and Utah. It has also complicated some of the state’s other policy goals, like using state money to pay for people who live in other states to travel to California for abortions.

California lawmakers in the state Assembly on Monday passed legislation to end the travel ban. The bill, introduced by state Senate leader Toni Atkins, would also establish an outreach and advertising campaign in states on the travel ban list to promote pro-LGBTQ+ messages. Atkins, who is a lesbian, said the travel ban has helped raise awareness about many anti-LGBTQ+ issues, but it has also led to unintended consequences.

“In many instances, the travel ban has inadvertently caused California to isolate its services and citizens in a time when we are leading the nation in ensuring inclusivity and freedom,” said Democratic Assemblymember Rick Zbur, the former executive director of the advocacy group Equality California. “With nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ bills having been introduced in legislatures nationwide this year alone, now more than ever, we need to reach into those communities with messages of support, inclusivity and understanding.”

Some Republicans voted against overturning the ban, but there was no debate.

The bill will head to the Senate for a final vote before landing on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. The Democratic governor has until Oct. 14 to decide whether to sign it into law. The governor’s office said he will evaluate the bill on its merits.

The reversal on the travel ban comes amid intense political battles across the country over transgender rights, including efforts to impose bans on gender-affirming care , bar trans athletes from girls and women’s sports, and require schools to notify parents if their children ask to use different pronouns or changes their gender identity.

The legislation is among nearly 1,000 bills that lawmakers have been debating during the hectic final two weeks of the Legislative session. The Legislature has until Sept. 14 to act on these bills.

IN-STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TUITION FOR MEXICAN RESIDENTS

The Assembly also voted to send a bill to Newsom that would allow some low-income Mexican residents living within 45 miles (72 kilometers) of the California-Mexico border to get in-state tuition at certain community colleges in Southern California. If approved, this pilot program would be in effect until 2029.

Supporters of the bill say it would help expand access to education for eligible students and help them enter the workforce in the future. That includes Southern California advocacy group Los Amigos de la Comunidad, which in English means “Friends of the Community.”

“There are barriers to education at all levels,” said Eric Montoya Reyes, the group’s executive director. “It can be burdensome to add another obstacle of nonresident fees to their ability to get an education.”

NEW RULES FOR SELF-DRIVING TRUCKS

The California Senate voted to require self-driving semitrucks to always have a human present to oversee it.

California has been at the forefront of self-driving vehicles. Last month, state regulators allowed two companies to operate autonomous taxis in San Francisco.

Labor unions are worried the technology could soon be applied to semitrucks, replacing drivers at the heart of the nation’s $900 billion trucking industry. The bill lawmakers approved on Monday would not ban self-driving semitrucks. But it would require a human to be present.

The bill now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who must decide whether to sign it into law. His administration has signaled its opposition to the bill , arguing it would stifle innovation.

NEW RULES FOR CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS

The California Assembly on Monday voted to ban people from carrying guns in most public places.

The new rules come after a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year changed how the courts interpret gun laws. California lawmakers tried to pass new rules last year, but they failed because of a tactical error on the final day of the legislative session.

This year, lawmakers tried again. The bill bans people from carrying guns in privately owned commercial businesses that are open to the public — unless the business posts a sign saying guns are OK. The bill bans carrying guns in nearly every other public place, including schools, courts, government buildings, prisons, hospitals, airports, zoos, churches, zoos, museums, amusement parks and banks.

The bill has already passed the state Senate, but it requires one more vote before lawmakers can send it to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.

INCREASING PENALTIES FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKERS

A bill that would increase the penalties for child traffickers cleared another key hurdle Monday.

The bill, which Newsom stepped in to revive after it was blocked in an Assembly committee in July, passed the state Assembly with a unanimous vote.

The bill would add child trafficking to a list of serious felonies in California. Anyone convicted of at least three serious felonies faces a prison sentence of between 25 years to life in prison under the state’s three-strikes law.

Some lawmakers initially opposed the bill, concerned it could inadvertently punish child trafficking victims with lengthy prison penalties. Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove, the author of the bill, added an amendment to protect victims from the enhanced penalties.

The bill will need a final vote from the Senate before heading to Newsom’s desk.

Associated Press reporters Sophie Austin and Adam Beam contributed. Austin is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin @sophieadanna

California News | Gov. Newsom signs bill replacing California’s…

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California news | the supreme court allows emergency abortions in idaho for now in a limited ruling, california news, subscriber only, california news | gov. newsom signs bill replacing california’s state travel ban over lgbtq laws with outreach funding, travel ban expanded to 26 states in july.

The ban began with legislation by Assemblyman Evan Low, a Cupertino Democrat, in 2016 that initially restricted state-funded travel to four states: Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee. But that number doubled in the law’s first year. It was at 23 states when, in July, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced his office was adding three more states — Missouri, Nebraska and Wyoming — to the list, bringing it to 26.

The growing list created problems for state leaders. Legislative analysts reported that California lawmakers had to use their own political funds to attend a National Conference of State Legislatures in Tennessee, and that others skipped events in prohibited states.

It also became a liability for Newsom, who was criticized last year for traveling to one of the banned states, Montana , to visit his wife’s family. Newsom’s office said at the time such personal and privately paid travel is not considered state sponsored but declined to say whether California footed the bill for his security staff.

State Sen. pro Tempore Toni Atkins, the powerful San Diego Democrat who authored the bill Newsom signed Wednesday, said the growing number of prohibited states suggested the ban wasn’t working and that a new approach is needed.

Her bill calls for a “BRIDGE Project” — which she said would “create a fund that could be used to create non-partisan, inclusive messaging, discourage discrimination, and help members of the LGBTQ+ community feel less isolated.”

The legislature approved the law as an urgency measure, and it became effective immediately.

Legislative analysts said the bill would authorize outreach efforts through the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz. It would cost taxpayers “about $583,000 annually for four staff at GO-Biz to oversee the BRIDGE Project fund as well as ongoing costs for the BRIDGE Projects’ education, marketing, and advertising campaigns,” analysts said, though “state costs could be offset by donations.”

Supporters argued it would “develop marketing campaigns designed to raise awareness and educate the public” in other states, while opponents said it would amount to “funding advertising and media specifically aimed at unduly influencing other states’ laws.”

Newsom in a statement thanked Atkins for “this important measure that enables California to continue taking a stand for the rights of LGBTQ+ people throughout the country and combating intolerance and hate with empathy and allyship.”

“In the face of a rising tide of anti-LGBTQ+ hate, this measure helps California’s message of acceptance, equality and hope reach the places where it is most needed,” Newsom said.

The state laws that led California to expand its travel ban mostly dealt with transgender access to school bathrooms, participation in youth sports and “gender affirming” hormonal and surgical procedures on children, a matter that has roiled school boards, health care and athletics in recent years. Advocates for those laws argue that the policies protect girls’ rights and kids, while critics called them anti-LGBTQ.

Statistics provided by the Human Rights Campaign, a pro-LGBTQ group, seemed to affirm that the travel ban wasn’t effective in preventing anti-trans or anti-LGBTQ laws and policies. The group reported in May that a record 520 “anti-LGBTQ+ bills” have been introduced in state legislatures. The group said 70 laws have been enacted, including 15 “banning gender affirming care for transgender youth,” seven “allowing misgendering of transgender students,” four “censoring school curriculum” and two “targeting drag performances.”

“With an unprecedented number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills having been introduced in state legislatures nationwide, California can further position itself as a national leader on inclusivity and serve as a beacon of hope and support for those who have been isolated by state-sponsored discrimination elsewhere,” Atkins said.

Low, who is gay, has defended AB 1887 and argued that repealing it would amount to backing down in the face of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

“While the removal of our state-funded travel ban to these states does not protect Californians from potential harm,” Low said in a statement Thursday, “I am hopeful that the BRIDGE project will help change hearts and minds in states that have pursued and enacted anti-LGBTQ laws.”

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State-funded Travel Restrictions Lifted by SB 447

Governor Newsom signed SB 447 which ends the ban on state-funded travel to any of the 24 states that were listed on the California Attorney General's website . The bill was signed on September 13 and takes effect immediately, which means that all travel restrictions to those 24 states on the banned list have now been completely lifted. Business and Finance Bulletin G-28, Travel Regulations , will be revised to remove the AB 1887 language that had previously prohibited travel to the states listed on the California Attorney General’s website when using state fund sources. If you have any questions, please contact the Travel Team at [email protected] .

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Watch CBS News

California may end travel ban to states with anti-LGBT laws

By ADAM BEAM Associated Press

March 29, 2023 / 3:12 PM PDT / AP

SACRAMENTO — When North Carolina in 2016 banned transgender people from using the bathroom of their gender identity in public buildings, California retaliated by banning state-funded travel to that state and any other state with laws it deemed discriminatory against LGBTQ people.

Seven years later, after a surge in anti-LGBTQ legislation in mostly Republican-led states, California now bans state-funded travel to nearly half of the country. The prohibition has caused travel hitches for state employees as well as academic researchers and sports teams at public colleges and universities, prompting state Senate leader Toni Atkins to call Wednesday for the travel ban to come to an end.

In its place, she wants the state to authorize a marketing campaign for "inclusive messaging" in those states "to help build a bridge of inclusion and acceptance."

"The goal here is to speak to people's hearts and open minds," said Atkins, who is a lesbian. "That's a pursuit that would have made teen Toni — that southwest Virginia girl afraid to be herself back then — so proud."

California's travel ban has been in effect since 2017. It requires the state Attorney General to maintain a list of states subject to the ban. That list has grown quickly as states have passed laws restricting doctors from providing gender-affirming care to minors and stopping transgender women and girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.

Today, the ban includes 23 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

The law applies to state agencies, departments, boards, authorities and commissions — including the schools that are part of the University of California and the California State University systems.

That means schools like the University of California, Berkeley, can't use state money for their football teams to travel to away games in Arizona and Utah — schools it must play against because they are in the same athletic conference.

The San Diego State University men's basketball team will play in the Final Four on Saturday in Houston, a state that is on the no-travel list. The team got around the ban because the NCAA, not California taxpayers, is footing the bill for the team's travel. But the ban does mean the school can't schedule football games against teams in Texas, said Jamie McConeghy, senior associate athletic director of communications and media relations for San Diego State.

The law has a number of exceptions, including travel necessary to enforce California laws, meet contractual obligations or to obtain grant funding. It also allows travel for the protection of health and safety, which is why a state-funded security detail could travel with Gov. Gavin Newsom's family on a vacation to Montana last year.

The ban has also impeded academic researchers who often have to travel to other states for their work. The American Historical Association wrote a letter to lawmakers in 2021 asking them to amend the list of exceptions to include research for travel and educational initiatives.

Marc Stein, a history professor at San Francisco State University, said he had trouble booking a trip to North Carolina shortly after the travel ban took effect so he could research the case of a transgender woman who had been arrested for sodomy in the 1960s.

Stein said the university eventually found a way to fund his research, but said the barrier remains for other researchers, particularly students studying for advanced degrees.

"I think Ph.D. students in California are being discouraged from pursuing research projects that would require extensive trips to the list of states which is now almost half the country," said Stein, who said he favors adding a broad exception to the law to cover academic research.

Still, overturning the ban could be difficult in the California Legislature, where 10% of lawmakers identify as LGBT Q.

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California bans state-funded travel to 5 states over anti-L.G.B.T.Q. laws.

Attorney General Rob Bonta added Arkansas, Florida, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia to a list that now includes 17 states in total.

By Jill Cowan

• June 28, 2021

California will ban state-funded travel to Arkansas, Florida, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia in response to anti-L.G.B.T.Q. legislation in those places, officials announced on Monday.

“There has been a coordinated attack on fundamental civil rights,” Rob Bonta, California’s attorney general, said at a news conference. “It’s about aligning our dollars with our values.”

There are now 17 states under California’s ban, including Texas, Tennessee, and North and South Carolina.

The law, approved by the state legislature in 2016, requires California to add states to the list if they enact measures that discriminate against or remove protections for people on the basis of sex, gender identity or sexual orientation. It was enacted amid backlash against states where lawmakers were trying to pass “ bathroom bills ” to prevent transgender people from using restrooms that aligned with their gender identity.

Mr. Bonta is a progressive ally of Gov. Gavin Newsom , who chose him for the post in March after Xavier Becerra joined the Biden administration. He has pledged to hold the police accountable for misconduct and to make it easier to fight hate crimes as attacks on Asian Americans surge.

Evan Low, a California lawmaker who wrote the ban, said it was meant to keep state workers safe and out of situations where they might be discriminated against.

“The current culture war is not a game,” he said.

In 2017, Mr. Low acknowledged that barring state-funded travel to Texas was largely symbolic . Still, he said this week that he hoped California’s moves would prompt big businesses to follow suit.

Officials didn’t say how much money the state had withheld as a result of the ban. But Richard C. Auxier, a researcher at the Tax Policy Center , said that while the amount might be relatively small, the effects could snowball.

He cited North Carolina’s “bathroom bill,” which prompted a national outcry after it was enacted in 2016. In addition to travel bans like California’s, the N.C.A.A. and the N.B.A. moved tournaments in protest, and performers refused to play gigs there. The law was repealed, and the state’s Republican governor was ousted in part because of frustration over the economic fallout.

The question is how much state lawmakers respond to economic pain felt by local businesses and governments as they try to coax back visitors lost during the pandemic.

“These cities are all dying for people to come back — to go to the bars, to go to events,” Mr. Auxier said, so if other organizations take their cues from California, local tourism groups or businesses could be hurt enough to prompt them to push back against their leaders.

“‘Will it work?’ is a giant political question,” he said.

Ryland Whittington, a 13-year-old from San Diego, said at Monday’s news conference that the ability to feel safe, play sports and get any care he needed wasn’t political, in no small part because of where he lives.

“Being trans is just a small part of who I am,” he said. “I know I’m lucky to live in California.”

He asked lawmakers to “give all kids the opportunity to be happy, healthy and to live their lives in freedom and peace.”

Jill Cowan is the Californ ia Today correspondent, keeping tabs on the most important things happening in her home state every day. More about Jill Cowan

Breaking News

Lawmakers’ last-minute reversal could let restaurants keep service fees

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California restaurateurs are counting the days to July 1, when a statewide law is set to ban restaurants, bars, hotels, concert venues and other businesses from charging service fees — sending the hospitality industry into a tailspin . But a new emergency measure unanimously approved by the state Assembly on Tuesday could exempt restaurants and bars from the law if signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Signed into law last October, Senate Bill 478 prohibits “hidden fees” such as service charges. In restaurants and bars, these fees can appear as additional costs on the menu or final bill, ranging from 1% to 22% or even more. The practice is regularly used to stabilize wages across dining rooms and kitchens — where servers often receive tips but cooks and dishwashers do not — and to help offset the cost of benefits such as healthcare.

But the practice has been called into question, with multiple lawsuits filed against restaurateurs over their distribution and use of service fees .

What does a service fee ban mean for diners? Expect higher menu prices — a lot higher

A state ‘junk fees’ law might ‘upend’ how restaurants operate. Customers could face sticker shock when fees are rolled into menu prices.

Feb. 15, 2024

Sens. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) and Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) co-wrote SB 478 in what they called an effort to protect consumers from surprise fees. In early June Dodd proposed Senate Bill 1524 , a new emergency measure that would clarify aspects of his original bill and, if passed, exempt restaurants from eliminating surcharges, provided they are listed clearly.

“Any mandatory gratuity, service charge or other fee charged by restaurants must be displayed conspicuously on restaurant menus,” a statement from Dodd’s office said. “For example, if a restaurant adds a 20% security fee to all bills, that 20% charge must be clearly stated up front on the menu. It cannot be a surprise that only shows up when the bill arrives.”

SB 1524 would take effect immediately. It is co-authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Assemblymembers Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) and Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters).

Restaurants may be able to keep service fees if menu shows the charges

Reversing course, the author of a bill to ban junk fees has proposed emergency legislation to carve out an exemption for restaurants.

June 6, 2024

“This measure has enjoyed unanimous bipartisan support, and recent amendments have responded to concerns from some consumer groups,” Haney said in an address to the Assembly on Tuesday. It passed unanimously with 79 votes.

In February a representative for Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, who co-sponsored SB 478, told the Los Angeles Times that restaurants and bars would need to roll what were previously listed surcharge percentages into the list prices of menus and confirmed the guidance in “price transparency law” guidelines last month.

SB 478 would not impose fines on restaurants but could open them up to lawsuits come July 1. A number of California restaurants and bars have already begun eliminating surcharges entirely or rolling the fees into menu prices, per the attorney general’s guidance. Others have been watching the progression of SB 1524 since its introduction on June 6. Many restaurateurs told the L.A. Times that rolling surcharge fees into menu pricing would cost them customers due to sticker shock at an already fraught time for the industry.

“Restaurants are vital to the fabric of life in California, and they should be able to cover costs as long as they do so transparently,” Wiener, a co-author of the new bill, said in a statement earlier this month. “SB 1524 clarifies portions of the law that pose a serious threat to restaurants. The bill strikes the right balance between supporting restaurants and delivering transparency for consumers, and I’m proud to support it.”

After Tuesday’s approval in the Assembly, SB 1524 will proceed to the Senate, where it requires a passing vote before it reaches Newsom.

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Stephanie Breijo is a reporter for the Food section and the author of its weekly news column. Previously, she served as the restaurants and bars editor for Time Out Los Angeles, and prior to that, the award-winning food editor of Richmond magazine in Richmond, Va. Born and primarily raised in Los Angeles, she believes L.A. to be the finest food city in the country and might be biased on that count but doesn’t believe she’s wrong.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bills to bolster protections for LGBTQ people

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several bills over the weekend aimed at bolstering the state’s protections for LGBTQ people, after issuing a  controversial veto  that was criticized by advocates.

The new laws include legislation that focuses on support for LGBTQ youth. One law sets timelines for required cultural competency training for public school teachers and staff, while another creates an advisory task force to determine the needs of LGBTQ students and help advance supportive initiatives. A third requires families to show that they can and are willing to meet the needs of a  child in foster care  regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“California is proud to have some of the most robust laws in the nation when it comes to protecting and supporting our LGBTQ+ community, and we’re committed to the ongoing work to create safer, more inclusive spaces for all Californians,” Newsom said in a statement on Saturday. “These measures will help protect vulnerable youth, promote acceptance, and create more supportive environments in our schools and communities.”

The governor also signed legislation that requires schools serving first through 12th grade to have at least one gender-neutral bathroom available for students by 2026.

The law was spurred by a  Southern California school district  that instituted a policy requiring schools to tell parents when their children change their pronouns or use a bathroom of a gender other than the one listed on their official paperwork. A judge halted the policy after California Attorney General Rob Bonta  sued the Chino Valley Unified School District . The lawsuit is ongoing.

The governor’s bill-signings came after Newsom  vetoed a bill  on Friday that would have required judges to consider whether a parent affirms their child’s gender identity when making custody and visitation decisions.

Assembly member Lori Wilson, a Democrat who introduced the bill and has an adult son who came out as transgender when he was a teenager, was among the LGBTQ advocates who criticized the governor’s decision.

“I’ve been disheartened over the last few years as I watched the rising hate and heard the vitriol toward the trans community. My intent with this bill was to give them a voice, particularly in the family court system where a non-affirming parent could have a detrimental impact on the mental health and well-being of a child,” Wilson said in a statement.

California state Sen. Scott Wiener, who co-sponsored the bill, called Newsom's veto "a tragedy for trans kids," according to a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Governor Newsom has been such a staunch ally to the LGBTQ community. A true champion. Respectfully, however, this veto is a mistake," Wiener added.

Newsom said existing laws already require courts to consider health, safety and welfare when determining the best interests of a child in custody cases, including the parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity.

The veto comes amid intense political battles across the country over transgender rights, including efforts to  impose bans on gender-affirming care ,  bar trans athletes  from girls and women’s sports, and  require schools  to notify parents if their children ask to use different pronouns or changes their gender identity.

Contributing: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY

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Japanese Government Panel Proposes Air Traffic Control Measures to Boost Safety After Haneda Crash

A Japanese transport ministry panel has proposed a number of air traffic control measures to boost safety

FILE - A burnt Japan Airlines plane at Haneda airport, Tokyo, Jan. 4, 2024. A Japanese transport ministry panel on Monday June 24, 2024, proposed a number of air traffic control measures to boost safety, more than six months after a fatal collision between a Japan Airlines jetliner and a coast guard plane at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. (Kyodo News via AP, File)

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese transport ministry panel on Monday proposed a number of air traffic control measures to boost safety, more than six months after a fatal collision between a Japan Airlines jetliner and a coast guard plane at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

The panel recommended hiring more air traffic control staff at the country’s major airports, and introducing supplementary alert systems on the runway and in the traffic control room.

The proposal was released in an interim report compiled by a panel of experts commissioned by the ministry, which said that additional staff would reduce air traffic controllers' heavy workloads. Their responsibilities include monitoring runways, communicating with pilots and coordinating with other air control staff.

The recommendations includes hiring more air traffic control staff at Haneda, one of the world's busiest airports, and seven other airports, including New Chitose, Narita, Kansai and Naha.

The Jan. 2 collision occurred when Japan Airlines Flight 516, carrying 379 passengers and crew, landed right behind the coast guard aircraft preparing to take off on the same seaside runway, engulfing both aircraft in flames .

All occupants of the JAL’s Airbus A350-900 airliner safely evacuated in 18 minutes. The captain of the coast guard’s much smaller Bombardier Dash-8 escaped with burns but five crew members died.

The investigation into the collision has focused on what caused the coast guard flight crew to believe they had a go-ahead for takeoff. A partial release of the air traffic control transcript has shown no clear takeoff approval was given to the coast guard plane.

Investigation of the collision by the Japan Transport Safety Board is still pending.

On Monday, the report also called for introducing an alert system called Runway Status Lights, or RWSL, with lights embedded in the pavement of runways and taxiways. They are designed to automatically alert pilots and vehicle operators when it's unsafe to enter, without having input from controllers. The system is already used widely in the United States and at a few airports in Japan, but not Haneda.

The panel also proposed adding an alert sound to the monitoring system for aircraft positions as a backup in case a warning display is overlooked.

Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito submitted the report to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and pledged to firmly take measures proposed in the report, prioritizing a staffing increase before the summer travel season hits full swing.

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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