California senators introduced a bill on Thursday that would strip the Boy Scouts of America of its tax-exempt status in the state.
They’re not happy with the group’s recent vote on gay membership, saying it didn’t go far enough.
“While the Boy Scouts of America took a step in the right direction to include LGBT youth, the standing ban on LGBT adults is premised on absurd assumptions and stereotypes that perpetuate homophobia and ignorance,” said Democratic Sen. Ricardo Lara, Youth Equality Act of 2013 sponsor, in Raw Story. “Equality doesn’t come with an expiration date, and we shouldn’t allow discrimination to be subsidized, not in our state, not on our dime.”
The bill passed the Senate 27-9.
The BSA lifted its ban on openly gay youth members, but kept in place its ban on gay adults.
“Teaching discrimination against LGBT people can never be in the public interest, and the time to end it is now,” said John O’Connor, executive director of Equality California, in the Raw Story report.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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