Sunshine Sentinel

Californians have been moving to Florida despite California lawmakers' accusations that the state is bigoted, according to a report by Forbes.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta added Florida and four other states to a list of 17 where state-funded travel is prohibited, claiming these states have imposed discriminatory legislation against LGBTQ people, according to a report by The Associated Press.

“Make no mistake, we’re in the midst of an unprecedented wave of bigotry and discrimination in this country — and the state of California is not going to support it,” Bonta said, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

However, IRS statistics revealed that 9,061 California residents migrated to the five states that were recently added to the list between 2018 and 2019, bringing with them an estimated $1.4 billion in annual income.

Florida received 4,811 of these former California residents during this time period, possibly drawn to the state by its less restrictive tax and regulatory environment, according to Forbes. Florida does not have an income tax, and DeSantis recently approved a reduction in the state's commercial rent tax from 5.5% to 2%.

Additionally, Bay News 9 reports an estimated 845 individuals are relocating to Florida daily and will do so until 2025.

“The bill Gov. DeSantis signed is not discriminatory; in fact, it’s the opposite — the legislation ensures that women’s sports remain fair,” Christina Pushaw, a spokeswoman for Gov. Ron DeSantis, said after Florida was added to California’s travel ban list, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “On the contrary, allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports is discriminatory, because it puts girls and women at a disadvantage based on immutable, innate characteristics. It is disappointing that the politicians calling the shots in Sacramento are not willing to stand up for women and girls in California.”

Bonta defended his decision to ban the states, saying he believes these states have imposed discriminatory legislation against LGBTQ people, citing Florida's law prohibiting transgender women from participating in women's sports.

“(Lawmakers) would rather demonize trans youth than focus on solving real issues like tackling gun violence beating back this pandemic, and rebuilding our economy,” Bonta said, The Associated Press reported.

Bonta did not say how the ban has affected travel to the states that were restricted in 2016 or whether state agencies have ceased sending personnel to those states entirely.

Travel to conferences or out-of-state training for California state employees are examples of the types of trips that could be restricted under the attorney general's announcement; exceptions include travel required to enforce California law or uphold contracts signed before the ban.

The other 16 states include Texas, Alabama, Idaho, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, Mississippi and Tennessee, which were the subject of a 2016 ban, and Montana, Arkansas, West Virginia and North Dakota, which joined Florida in new states added to the ban.