'If You Love Your Children, Flee The State': California GOP Lawmaker
A California state senator has urged parents to "flee" the state if they "love their children" in response to what he calls alarming language in a new gender identity bill.
Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) is one of two lone Republicans on the state's Senate Judiciary Committee , and has served in the state legislature for 11 years, according to the Daily Signal, who notes that he was the lone voice warning against language in the bill, AB 957, which was amended on June 5 by a Democratic senator to rewrite the state's Family Code to list "gender affirmation" alongside a child's need for "health, safety and welfare."
Under AB 957, introduced by Assemblywoman Lori Wilson (D) and co-authored by Sen. Scott Weiner (D), a parent could lose custody of their child for not "affirming" their claims about gender identity.
"I’m now in year 11 in the state legislature, and all the time we’re proposing policies to protect children. After 11 years, I’ve come to the conclusion that we need to start protecting parents.
That’s just not happening.
I’ve been here and witnessed a full frontal assault on charter schools, taking away parents’ choice in how their children are going to be educated to the detriment particularly of children of color.
In recent years, we have put government bureaucrats between parents, children, and doctors when it comes to medical care—and now we have [AB 957] where if a parent does not support the ideology of the government, [children are] going to be taken away from the home…" -Scott Wilk
"I was born and raised in this state. I love this state, but I'm not going to stay in this state. It’s just too oppressive and I believe in freedom and so I’m going to move to America when I leave the legislature," Wilk continued.
Watch:
NEW: Sen. @ScottWilkCA warns parents to flee his own state.
— Tony Kinnett (@TheTonus) June 14, 2023
“In the past when we’ve had these discussions and I’ve seen parental rights atrophied—I’ve encouraged people to keep fighting—I’ve changed my mind on that.
If you love your children, you need to flee California.” pic.twitter.com/9HGLiUFBsw
In response to the outrage, a spokesperson for Sen. Wilson tried to downplay concerns, saying "It's not saying [affirmation] is the most important factor or determining factor. It's one of many factors that the judge should consider while working out a custody agreement."
Sure...
