California Keeps Travel Ban Despite 'Bathroom Bill' Repeal

California will keep a North Carolina travel ban in place despite the recent repeal of House Bill 2.

California's attorney general says North Carolina's repeal of HB2 doesn't protect LGBT people from discrimination. Consequently, he says the country's most-populous state will continue its ban on taxpayer-funded travel to North Carolina.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced the decision in a statement Wednesday.

A California law went into effect in January barring state-funded travel or other spending in states with laws that discriminate against LGBT people. The law leaves it up to Becerra to keep a list of which states are banned.

Gay rights groups argue North Carolina's repeal of House Bill 2 is inadequate because it bars local governments from passing nondiscrimination ordinances covering sexual orientation and gender identity until December 2020.

California also bans taxpayer-funded travel to Kansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.