California Considers Punishing Youth Groups Who Do Not Embrace Homosexuality

“A California committee approved legislation that would revoke tax-exempt status from any nonprofit organizations that do not embrace homosexuality. It was approved on the same day Gov. Jerry Brown signed into a law Assembly Bill 1266, which forces schools to allow children to use the bathroom correlating to their own gender identity. Democratic Sen. Ricardo Lara, an open homosexual from Los Angeles and a member of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus, first introduced Senate Bill 323 in mid-February. According to the bill’s introduction, it would ‘provide that an organization that is a public charity youth organization that discriminates on the basis of gender identity, race, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, or religious affiliation is not exempt from [state taxes].’ The legislation lists about 25 youth organizations that would have to embrace these ‘gender identity’ and ‘sexual orientation’ guidelines to keep their tax-exempt status. Little League, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Future Farmers of America, Future Homemakers of America, 4-H Clubs, Boys’ Clubs, Girls’ Clubs and Future Business Leaders of America are all included. ... California Family Alliance’s Lori Arnold argues that the ‘Anti-Boy Scouts Bill’ is self-contradicting and unconstitutional. ‘The irony of the proposed law,’ she wrote in a release, ‘is that its blatant use of extortion--by holding nonprofit groups financially hostage--instills its own form of discrimination by trampling individual and organizational religious beliefs by labeling them “outdated practices,” practices that are protected by the First Amendment.’”

(“Failure to Embrace Homosexuality Could See Nonprofits Lose Tax-Exempt Status,” CharismaNews, Aug. 14, 2013)

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