Tennessee GOP lawmakers: California travel ban seeks to wage 'economic warfare'

Joel Ebert | USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

Show Caption Hide Caption 5 things to watch at the capitol this week (Feb. 13) Here's a quick look at 5 things to watch for this week at the capitol in Nashville.

Thirteen Tennessee Republican senators are waving their fingers at California after the state instituted a travel ban to Tennessee as a result of Tennessee passing a law allowing counselors to deny services to gay, lesbian and transgender clients.

Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, along with 12 co-sponsors, have introduced a resolution that urges Gov. Bill Haslam and leaders in the House and Senate to "ban state-sponsored and state-funded travel" to any state that has banned travel to Tennessee "in a selective way, so that that the other states feel the pain and not Tennessee."

The resolution stems from a law California passed last year that came after Tennessee approved a measure many viewed as discriminatory and infringing on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

In the resolution, lawmakers say California's ban — which extends to North Carolina, Mississippi and Kansas — is akin to Tennessee expressing its disapproval of the Golden State's "exorbitant taxes, spiraling budget deficits, runaway social welfare programs and rampant illegal immigration."

The resolution also argues that California's actions are not persuasive or productive and could lead to "economic warfare among states."

In addition to encouraging a travel ban, the resolution warns the remaining 48 states in the country against "imposing their unfounded moral judgment on their sister states as California has done in order to prevent escalating foolishness."

If the resolution is approved, lawmakers are asking copies of it to be sent to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Council on State Governments, the American Legislative Exchange Council and every member of each legislative body in the nation "so they may also consider taking against actions this type of blackmail."

READ MORE: DC mayor bans city-funded travel to Tennessee over therapist law

The resolution does not recommend any repercussions or bans against cities that have instituted their own Tennessee travel ban. Last year the mayors of Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia banned city-funded travel to the Volunteer State as a result of the controversial counseling law.

Bell and other lawmakers who support the travel ban plan to discuss it during a news conference Monday.

Reach Joel Ebert at jebert@tennessean.com or 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29.