The vote was split almost entirely along party lines, with Democrats arguing the legislation would help to protect the well-being of LGBTQ+ children whose parents are going through a divorce. Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, who represents San Francisco, said the bill was a proactive measure.
Every Republican in the state Senate voted against the bill, with state Sen. Kelly Seyarto, who represents Murrieta in Southern California, arguing that lawmakers were interfering too much with how parents choose to raise their children.
“Inserting this into the mix is going to pit one parent against the other and make things worse,” Seyarto said.
The vote comes amid intense political battles across the country over gender manipulation medical procedures, protecting girls' sports from males who claim to be females and the rights of parents to be informed about their children's decisions at school with regards to transgender issues.
