Safety Act (California law) explained

Short Title:Safety Act
Citation:https://lgbtqcaucus.legislature.ca.gov/sites/lgbtcaucus.legislature.ca.gov/files/safety_act/factsheet.pdf
Date Passed:July 15, 2024
Signed By:Governor Gavin Newsom
Date Signed:July 15, 2024
Bill Citation:https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1955/id/2906493
Amended By:https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1955
Status:In force

The Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today's Youth Act, also known as the AB1955 bill, Safety Act or SAFETY Act,[1] [2] [3] is an first-in-nation act signed and activated by California governor Gavin Newsom on July 15, 2024.[4] [5] The state law allows educators discretion in informing parents of a child's LGBTQ+ identity, but bars disclosure being a requirement.[6] [7]

The law has become a controversial topic, with many parents and people protesting and proposing to repeal it, Elon Musk, CEO of X (Twitter), as well as co-founder of SpaceX, shared that he would move SpaceX and X headquarters (X Corp.) to Starbase, Texas (Brownsville, Texas) and Austin, Texas,[8] [9] [10] Musk already moved SpaceX to Starbase and X Corp. to Bastrop, Texas.[11] [12]

Law

According to the Northern California ACLU, the SAFETY act would, in addition to preventing forced disclosure of LGBTQ+ identity, would also provide information for parents and education personnel on acceptance and the creation of spaces safe for LGBTQ+ students.

Reactions

Elon Musk

On July 16, 2024, in a statement released on his X post, Elon Musk, CEO of X (Twitter) and founder of SpaceX, said that he would move SpaceX from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas (or Brownsville, Texas), seen as largely symbolic, having already been moved.[13] [14] Musk also added in a reply that he would also move the X headquarters (X Corp.; in San Francisco) to Austin, Texas by September 13,[15] [16] he instead moved it to Bastrop, Texas.[17] [18] Musk claimed was because the recently passed California AB1955 bill "and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies" and is a "final straw". However, most of the buildings and workers would remain in Hawthorne until the Falcon program is finished.[19] [20]

Musk also said in the reply on the post that said he would move to Starbase, stating that: "I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children".

Governor Newsom

Following Musk's move, Governor Newsom then criticized Musk on X, with him posting on X with the caption "You bent the knee." along with a screenshot on X of a 2022 Truth Social post by former President Donald Trump criticizing Elon Musk.[21] [22] [23]

Other reactions

Many people, mostly parents, oppose and are upset by the law, saying it restricts parental rights, and plan to move their children to other states. However, many supporters and advocates have praised the bill for protecting LGBTQ youth,[24] [25] like California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus Chair Susan Eggman. Other supporters, like CTA President David Goldberg, also gave praise: “This historic legislation will strengthen existing protections against forced outings and allow educators to continue creating safe learning environments where every student feels accepted, nurtured, and encouraged to pursue their dreams”.[26]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: AB 1955: Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today's Youth Act. Digital Democracy . 2024-09-01 . digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org . en.
  2. Web site: California AB1955 2023-2024 Regular Session . 2024-09-01 . LegiScan . en.
  3. Web site: New SAFETY Act Signed into Law to Protect LGBTQ+ Students in California Official Website - Assemblymember Christopher M. Ward Representing the 78th California Assembly District . 2024-09-01 . a78.asmdc.org.
  4. Web site: Knutsen . Max . 2024-07-17 . California AB 1955: What Is the SAFETY Act? . 2024-08-31 . Plural Policy . en-US.
  5. Web site: Protecting the Rights of Trans and Nonbinary Youth in California ACLU of Northern CA . 2024-09-01 . www.aclunc.org . en.
  6. Web site: 2024-07-16 . Newsom Signs AB 1955 and Okays Schools Lying to Parents, Opening the Door to Lawsuits and Child Exploitation . 2024-08-31 . California Policy Center.
  7. Web site: 2024-07-15 . Gov. Newsom signs first-in-nation bill banning schools' transgender notification policies . 2024-08-31 . The Mercury News . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2024-07-16 . Elon Musk says SpaceX and X headquarters moving to Texas, blames new California transgender law . 2024-08-31 . NBC News . en.
  9. Web site: Press • • . The Associated . 2024-07-16 . Elon Musk says he's moving SpaceX, X HQs to Texas . 2024-08-31 . NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth . en-US.
  10. Web site: Kolodny . Lora . 2024-07-16 . Elon Musk says SpaceX and X headquarters moving to Texas, blames California trans student privacy law . 2024-08-31 . CNBC . en.
  11. Web site: Elon Musk to move SpaceX and X HQ over gender identity law . 2024-09-01 . . en-GB.
  12. Web site: Elizabeth Howell . 2024-07-17 . Elon Musk says he'll move SpaceX headquarters to Texas over new California LGBTQ+ law . 2024-09-01 . Space.com . en.
  13. News: 2024-07-16 . Musk to Move X, SpaceX to Texas in Deepening Rightward Shift . 2024-08-31 . Bloomberg.com . en.
  14. Web site: Clark . Stephen . 2024-07-17 . Elon Musk says SpaceX and X will relocate their headquarters to Texas . 2024-08-31 . Ars Technica . en-us.
  15. Web site: 2024-08-29 . X, formerly Twitter, to shutter its San Francisco headquarters on Sept. 13 - CBS News . 2024-08-31 . . en-US.
  16. News: 2024-08-30 . Elon Musk's X cites exactly when they are shutting down San Francisco HQ . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830122625/https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/elon-musks-x-cites-exactly-when-they-are-shutting-down-san-francisco-hq-101724993133405.html . 2024-08-30 . 2024-08-31 . Hindustan Times.
  17. Web site: 2024-08-05 . X officially kills its San Francisco HQ, will relocate to South Bay . 2024-09-22 . The San Francisco Standard . en.
  18. Web site: Emerson . Sarah . Elon Musk Has Officially Moved X To Texas . 2024-09-22 . Forbes . en.
  19. Web site: 2024-07-19 . Elon Musk plans to move SpaceX HQ to Starbase over new California law . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240725015914/https://spaceexplored.com/2024/07/19/spacex-moves-to-texas/ . 2024-07-25 . 2024-08-31 . Space Explored.
  20. Web site: Jeong . Helen . Service • • . City News . 2024-07-16 . Space X headquarters to move from Southern California to Texas . 2024-08-31 . NBC Los Angeles . en-US.
  21. Web site: Barrabi . Thomas . 2024-07-17 . How Elon Musk fired back after Gavin Newsom said tech giant 'bent the knee' to Trump . 2024-09-01 . . en-US.
  22. Web site: Irwin . Lauren . 2024-07-17 . Newsom to Musk after HQs move announcement: 'You bent the knee' . 2024-09-01 . The Hill . en-US.
  23. Web site: . . July 17, 2024 . You bent the knee. . September 1, 2024 . X.
  24. Web site: Schermele . Zachary . California becomes first state to ban forced outing of LGBTQ+ students . 2024-08-31 . USA TODAY . en-US.
  25. News: 16 July 2024 . What the new California law on LGBTQ+ student privacy means for San Diego schools . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240716143206/https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/what-the-new-california-law-on-lgbtq-student-privacy-means-for-san-diego-schools/ . 16 July 2024 . August 31, 2024 . Fox 5 San Diego.
  26. News: 2024-05-22 . AB 1955 – Support Academic Futures & Educators for Today's Youth (SAFETY) Act . 2024-09-01 . California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.

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