California Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has vetoed a bill that requires judges in child custody cases to consider whether a parent has affirmed their child’s gender identity. While the move was blasted by the bill’s authors, Newsom explained in a statement that he believes “…a court, under existing law, is required to consider a child’s health, safety, and welfare when determining the best interests of a child in these proceedings, including the parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity.”
Effectively, Newsom is claiming the thrust of the bill is already California law, though bill co-author Sen. Scott Wiener disagrees, claiming, “Governor Newsom has been such a staunch ally to the LGBTQ community. A true champion. Respectfully, however, this veto is a mistake”.
Newsom said he appreciates the “passion and values” that led Democrat Assemblywoman Lori Wilson to introduce the bill, adding that he shares a “deep commitment to advancing the rights of transgender Californians, an effort that has guided my decisions through many decades in public office.”
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