California Sports Teams Still Visit States with ‘Anti-LGBTQ’ Laws Despite Travel Ban

California lawmakers and sports teams are still managing to visit states with so-called “anti-LGBTQ” laws despite California’s law against allowing them to do so, according to a report.

The travel ban was enacted in 2016 when then Gov. Jerry Brown signed the law that bars state employees — including lawmakers, athletes, and educators — from visiting states that have laws against transgender bathrooms, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The rule was meant to prevent state employees from using state funds to pay for trips to the offending states for conferences, sporting events, or fact-finding trips. However, according to the paper, state employees are still going to these states despite the ban.

“California elected officials have tapped campaign contributions to continue visiting the targeted states,” the Times reported, “while state university sports teams and students participating in academic competitions have appealed for private donations to fund their travel.”

The travel ban has been criticized as foolish by state Republicans. Indeed, Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido pointed out that Gov. Newsome spent tax dollars to go to the anti-LGBTQ country of El Salvador even as the state is banning travel to states in our own country.

“The travel ban was virtue-signaling at its worst,” Waldron told the paper. “El Salvador doesn’t allow same-sex couples to marry or adopt children, and discrimination is rampant. Where was the outrage from legislative Democrats when Gov. Newsome traveled there?”

But, one lawmaker said that she felt it was still important to go to the purportedly “anti-LGBTQ” states, even as she “respects” the goals of the ban.

“It’s important for me to go because I am the only black woman who serves in the California state Senate, and NOBEL is an organization of black female state legislators from across the country,” said L.A. Democrat state Sen. Holly Mitchell. “It is for me and my own sense of connection to other women who look like me, who do my work.”

The paper also adds that sports teams among California’s publicly funded universities are even still traveling to states on the banned list.

“When the Cal State Long Beach men’s basketball team was invited in November to play in a tournament in Starkville, Miss., it asked the company that staged the tournament to cover its travel and hotel costs,” the Times reported. “Track stars were able to participate in the NCAA Track and Field National Championships this year because of private funds raised from supporters, said Andy Fee, the university’s athletic director.”

UC has also taken up the challenge of finding other sources to fund trips to the states liberals hate. “UC has faced challenges implementing this law in areas such as academic research and teaching, student recruitment, and athletics,” said UC spokesperson spokeswoman Sarah McBride.

Still, despite the ban, few lawmakers or other state employees have stopped attending events in states on the banned list making the ban seem somewhat absurd.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.