California Bill Would Strip Boy Scouts and Other Youth Organizations of Tax Preferences On Account of Membership Policies Excluding Homosexuals

California State Senator RicardoLara has introduced a bill entitled the Youth Equality Act.  The Senator’s web page describes the bill (SB 323) asfollows:

On the heels of the controversy surrounding the Boys Scoutsof America’s policy to exclude members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual andtransgender (LGBT) community as scouts or adult leaders, today State SenatorRicardo Lara (D-Long Beach) and Equality California announced the introductionof new legislation that would remove a state tax exemption for any youth group,including the Boy Scouts, that discriminate against members and leaders on thebasis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Currently, organizations thatdiscriminate on these grounds may still receive sales and corporate taxexemptions, a provision that is intended to encourage acting in the publicinterest.

Additionalcoverage of the bill and the uncertainties surrounding its enactment is availablefrom CBS (San Francisco Bay area) and the San Diego Union-Tribune.  

 JRB