Huntington Beach officials have taken a controversial step towards implementing a new law that would require adults working in city facilities to inform parents if their children identify as transgender or gay.

The move, approved on a narrow 4-3 vote, sets the stage for a potential legal battle with the state over Assembly Bill 1955, which prohibits such notification policies.

Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, who proposed the ordinance, defended it as a stand against government overreach.

“The issue of a child’s gender is personal, private, and should be discussed between the parent and the child only—not dictated by the State,” she stated.

Council Members Clash Over Government Role

However, the decision has sparked fierce debate. Democratic council members opposed the measure, arguing it’s beyond the city’s jurisdiction and could lead to legal complications. Councilman Dan Kalmick criticized it as an expansion of government, saying, “I just don’t see how that’s the role of government.”

The ordinance also grants the city attorney the power to sue over the state law on behalf of residents, a provision Kalmick called “dangerous.”

Supporters, like Republican Councilman Tony Strickland, contend that parents have the primary stake in their children’s future.

“The children are not the property of the state. The children are under the parent’s guidance,” he asserted.

Critics Warn of Privacy Concerns Amid Rising Hate Crimes

Critics argue the law intrudes on families’ privacy and distracts from other pressing city issues. Councilwoman Natalie Moser said, “This ordinance says exactly what it claims to oppose. It inserts government employees into the most personal aspects of a child’s life.”

The move comes amid a broader context of increasing hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community in Orange County, with Groundswell reporting an 83% rise in such incidents in 2021.

Read more at Voice of OC