California lawmakers declined Thursday to pass a bill to strip Boy Scouts of America and other “discriminatory” youth groups of their tax-exemption status.
The first-of-its-kind bill needed a supermajority of 54 votes to pass the California Assembly before its session ends Friday. But SB 323 was instead sent to the inactive file. The move ends its journey this year but permits it to be revived in 2014.
The Long Beach Press-Telegram said the measure lacked one vote.
Bill sponsor State Sen. Ricardo Lara could not be immediately be reached for comment. But he said earlier that the Youth Equality Act was needed to bring youth-serving groups’ tax exemptions “in line” with state nondiscrimination laws, especially those that protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth. His bill would have prohibited youth-serving groups from getting tax-exempt status if they discriminated based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or in other ways.
Traditional-values and religious groups opposed the bill, saying it would force nonprofit organizations to adopt the government’s viewpoint on such things as sexual orientation and gender identity.
“SB 323 makes the atrocious attempt to force organizations to ultimately choose between changing their moral beliefs to align with those of the oppressive LGBT lobby, or shutting down their organization all together,” said Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute.
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