In response, Elon Musk has vowed to move his companies X and SpaceX from California to Texas.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on July 15 that bans California school staff from informing parents about changes in their child’s preferred gender identity without the student’s consent.
The legislation, which the governor signed into law along with a handful of other bills, prohibits school districts from requiring staff to disclose any information related to a student’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to anyone without the child’s consent. It also protects teachers and school staff from retaliation for not informing parents.
On July 16, Elon Musk vowed to move the headquarters of SpaceX and social media platform X out of California in response, calling this legislation “the final straw.”
“Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas,” Mr. Musk wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This is the final straw.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 16, 2024
Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas. https://t.co/cpWUDgBWFe
“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.”
He later said that X headquarters will move from San Francisco to Austin, Texas.
Brandon Richards, a spokesperson for Mr. Newsom, said via email: “This law helps keep children safe while protecting the critical role of parents. It protects the child–parent relationship by preventing politicians and school staff from inappropriately intervening in family matters and attempting to control if, when, and how families have deeply personal conversations.”
Proponents of Assembly Bill 1955 have called parental notification policies such as those adopted by the Chino Valley Unified and Temecula Valley Unified school districts “forced outing” policies, while opponents argue that “secrecy” policies keep parents in the dark about their children.
Assemblyman Chris Ward (D-San Diego) introduced AB 1955, the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth (SAFETY) Act, as a priority bill for California’s 13-member Legislative LGBTQ Caucus. The Assembly voted 60–15 along party lines last month to pass the bill.
Mr. Ward said in a statement that “discussions about gender identity remain a private matter within the family.”
By Brad Jones
