Conservatives Sue California’s AG in Battle Over the Name of Their Anti-trans Ballot Initiative

This blog originally appeared at LGBTQ NATION.

They are indignant that their ballot initiative is being characterized based on its actions rather than the purported ultimate outcome they assert it will achieve.

A coalition of conservative parents’ organizations is taking legal action against California Attorney General Rob Bonta for precisely identifying an initiative opposed to transgender rights, which they are seeking to include on the November ballot in California.

Protect Kids California, a group advocating for parental rights, is presently gathering signatures for what they have labeled the “Protect Kids of California Act of 2024.”

Bonta’s office, vested with the authority to assign official titles and summaries to proposed initiatives, has rebranded the proposal as the “Restricts Rights of Transgender Youth Initiative.”

“The Attorney General’s Office is tasked with providing official titles and summaries outlining the primary purpose and key points of all proposed initiatives submitted according to procedural requirements under California law,” stated the attorney general’s office ahead of an April trial date. “We approach this responsibility with utmost seriousness and stand by our title and summary for this measure.”

The initiative dubbed the Protect Kids of California Act of 2024 would mandate schools to inform parents if children express a desire to identify with a different gender, prevent transgender girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender, and require all students to engage in activities and use facilities at school according to their assigned sex at birth.

In their lawsuit against Bonta, the Protect Kids group argues that “As part of his duties as Attorney General, Rob Bonta was required to provide a neutral and accurate title and summary for the initiative,” contending that “the title and summary mislead voters and mischaracterize the ballot initiative’s intent and impact.”

Emily Rae, senior counsel at the Liberty Justice Center, co-filing the lawsuit against Bonta, emphasized, “Regardless of the perspective or content of a ballot initiative, Californians are owed a neutral title and summary of that initiative as part of their core political speech. Ultimately, Rob Bonta owes it to Californians to uphold his duty as Attorney General — without injecting bias or prejudice into the matter.”

The parents’ rights group references polling data to support their stance, including a Rasmussen survey revealing 68% of California voters and 65% of Democrats favor schools informing parents if their child identifies with a gender different from their biological sex. Another poll by Gallup identified opposition to transgender athletes competing on teams matching their gender, with 93% of Republicans, 67% of independents, and 48% of Democrats in disagreement, alongside a comparable proportion from a Harvard/Harris poll advocating against transgender children receiving puberty blockers.

However, the Protect Kids group notably omits polling from the Public Policy Institute of California, which indicates 70% of likely California voters support the federal Equality Act, prohibiting discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

According to the California Secretary of State, the “Restricts Rights of Transgender Youth Initiative” requires 546,651 signatures to be eligible for the November 2024 ballot.