All California schools will be required to offer gender-neutral bathrooms under a law signed by the governor. Gavin Newsom on Saturday.

The new legislation expands a decade-old law requiring primary schools

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allow students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity.

The bill, which explicitly requires an additional gender-neutral option, is inspired by an effort by Chino Valley Unified to restrict transgender students’ access to certain bathrooms and athletic facilities.

The law is part of a package of bills aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ youth and comes amid expanding culture wars in districts with conservatively controlled school boards that emphasize “parental rights” and students’ gender identity.

These measures will help protect vulnerable youth, promote acceptance, and create more supportive environments in our schools and communities,” Newsom said in a statement, adding that California is “proud” of having one of the “most robust ” LGBTQ+ rights laws in the country.

In 2021, the Chino Valley school board introduced a resolution that would have restricted transgender students’ use of the restrooms and locker rooms of their choice.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond then warned the school district that the resolution how illegal.

The proposal failed, but was cited as the impetus for the signed bill

on

Saturday, which was sponsored by Thurmond and

written by S

State Senator Josh Newsom (D-Fullerton)

was its author.

As states across the country pass legislation that puts LGBTQ+ people and especially young people at risk, California is sending a clear message today. Hateful attacks will not be tolerated and we will continue to protect and ensure the safety of all members of the LGBTQ+ community. Tony Hoang, executive director of Equality California, said in a statement that he is “noting increasing attacks from far-right extremists.

Chino Valley Unified, in San Bernardino County, this summer became the first district to adopt a controversial policy requiring schools

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informing parents of students’ decisions regarding gender identity, such as the use of preferred pronouns.

Other bills signed by Newsom on Saturday include a new requirement for schools to provide “cultural competency” training on LGBTQ+ student issues and the creation of a statewide task force to “identify the needs of LGBTQ+ students ‘.

Newsom’s signing of the bills on Saturday came a day after he faced backlash from his fellow Democrats and rare praise from state Republicans for his veto of a bill that would have required courts to review a parent’s support for a parent’s gender identity. consider a child in custody.

fights.fights.

In a veto message, Newsom, who is considered an LGBTQ+ rights champion, said

,

“I urge caution when the executive and legislative branches of state government attempt to dictate in prescriptive terms that single out one characteristic legal standard for the judiciary to apply.”

Critics saw the veto, which was released Friday evening, as evidence that liberal Newsom is making more moderate policy decisions to make him more attractive to a future presidential candidate, ambitions he has repeatedly denied.