California Democrat admits ban on state travel to red states didn't work: 'It separates us'

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A California Democrat lawmaker is calling for her state to end its ban on government-expensed travel to 23 states deemed "anti-LGBTQ" after initially voting for the legislation in 2016.

The ban began in retaliation to North Carolina enacting a law requiring people to use the bathrooms that corresponded with their biological sex. Since then, the ban has ballooned from just a few states to nearly half the states in the nation. 

But the ban has been "a bust," Los Angeles Times columnist Nicholas Goldberg wrote in an opinion column. State Sen. Toni Atkins told the paper she is leading the charge to repeal the ban because "polarization is not working."

The Democrat wants the cumbersome regulations to be replaced with a publicity campaign in red states promoting LGBTQ inclusion. Her bill is scheduled for its first committee hearing on Monday.

CALIFORNIA BANS GOVERNMENT TRAVEL TO MORE STATES OVER LGBTQ LAWS

California State Capitol Building in Sacramento, CA, USA (iStock)

"I think everyday people are tired of polarization," she told Goldberg. "We’re so focused on what we believe, and if you don’t agree with me I’m not going to deal with you. It separates us and that’s a really bad thing."

Atkins' office also said the travel ban has "had the unintended impact of further isolating members of the LGBTQ+ community in those states, and hampering Californians from being able to conduct research, business, and engage with all people from those states."

Nearly half the states in the nation are banned from state travel under California's A.B. 1887 law. The 23 states currently banned are 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.

CALIFORNIA MAY END BAN ON TRAVEL TO 23 GOP STATES AFTER LAW BACKFIRES

California enacted a state-sponsored travel ban to states deemed "anti-LGBTQ." (iStock)

The Los Angeles Times' columnist agreed it was "long past time" to repeal the ban before giving a scathing assessment of its effectiveness. 

"The ban hasn’t appeared to change people’s attitudes in the banned states, nor has it changed their laws," Goldberg wrote. In fact, the travel ban "has been something of a bust."

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"It hasn’t done much if anything to achieve its goal, assuming its goal was to pressure other states to protect and expand LGBTQ rights," he added.

Fox News' Timothy Nerozzi contributed to this report.