Huntington Beach sues California over gender identity notification law

Huntington Beach is suing California over a new state law that prohibits California school districts from notifying parents of a child’s gender identification change.

When Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law in July, the Golden State became the first state to prohibit school districts from requiring staff to notify parents of their child’s gender identification change.

The lawsuit names Newsom, California Attorney General Robert Bonta and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and asks a judge to declare the law unconstitutional.

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America First Legal Foundation, a conservative nonprofit led by former President Donald Trump adviser Stephen Miller, is paying for legal expenses to “prosecute this case.”

“The State’s AB 1955 law compelling secrecy not only puts children at risk, it is also an unconstitutional invasion of the parent/child relationship by the state,” Huntington Beach mayor Gracey Van Der Mark said in a statement.

The Huntington Beach City Council approved filing the suit during its meeting on Tuesday during a closed session, according to the Orange County Register.

The council also gave final approval to an ordinance declaring Huntington Beach as a “Parents Right to Know City.” The ordinance gives City Attorney Michael Gates the power to sue the state on behalf of a parent who lives in the city “alleging violations of their rights” due to AB 1955.

This isn’t the only lawsuit state leaders face regarding the new law.

In July, The Liberty Justice Center, a national litigation firm, also filed a lawsuit regarding the law against Newsom, Bonta and Thurmond.

The lawsuit from the Liberty Justice Center was filed on behalf of the Chino Valley Unified School District, which implemented a controversial policy last year, and parents with children in the state’s public school system.

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Many opponents and supporters of the law have expressed their opinions on social media.

Most notably, Elon Musk, who runs SpaceX, X, and Tesla, previously announced that he would move the headquarters of the space and social media companies out of California after Newsom signed AB1955 into law.

Musk moved the Tesla corporate headquarters to Austin from Palo Alto in 2021 but later announced plans to move back in 2023.

This isn’t the city and the state disagreements have led to legal issues. In 2023, the state sued the city over affordable housing laws.

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