California Gov. Gavin Newsom gave another indication that he likely has presidential aspirations in the near future, though it came at a cost of angering state Democrats.
The governor vetoed a bill late Friday evening passed by the state Assembly’s Democrat supermajority “that would have required judges in child custody cases to consider whether a parent has affirmed their child’s gender identity,” Fox News reported.
The outlet added:
AB 957 originally proposed that courts deciding custody cases must consider whether each parent affirmed the child’s gender identity. An amendment in June added a parent’s affirmation of their child’s gender identity to the state’s standard of what constitutes parental responsibility in a court of law for providing for “the health, safety, and welfare of the child.”
The bill was passed earlier this month by the state assembly, and was sent to the governor’s desk for his signature. But Newsom said in a statement released Friday night that he cannot sign the legislation.
Newsom said that while he appreciates the “passion and values” that led Dem Assemblywoman Lori Wilson to craft the legislation, he also shares a “deep commitment to advancing the rights of transgender Californians, an effort that has guided my decisions through many decades in public office.”
“That 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 standards for the Judicial branch to apply,” Newsom stated. “Other-minded elected officials, in California and other states, could very well use this strategy to diminish the civil rights of vulnerable communities.”
“Moreover, a court, under existing law, is required to consider a child’s health, safety, and welfare when determining the best interests of a child in these proceedings, including the parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity,” he noted further.
What is also noteworthy is that a majority of parents around the country do not share the far-left values that most California Democrats favor; had Newsom signed that bill, no doubt any GOP presidential opponent would have used it to paint him as an anti-parent extremist.
Democrat state Sen. Scott Wiener, who has introduced and helped pass some of the most extreme gender-related laws in the state, said he was “disappointed.”
“I am extremely disappointed. I know the Governor’s record. He’s been a champion for the LGBTQ+ community for years and even before it was popular to do so,” he said after the veto. “However, on this point, the Governor and I disagree on the best way to protect [Transgender, Gender-Diverse and Intersex] kids.”
