Perkins Criticizes California Hate Speech Training Law
Tony Perkins criticized California's AB 1803, a new law requiring employers with five or more workers to add hate speech training to harassment training. He argued the law lacks a clear definition of hate speech and does not sufficiently clarify how it applies to churches. Perkins said the church should instruct the government on morality, not the other way around.
California's AB 1803, introduced by Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal and signed by Governor Newsom, extends required workplace harassment training to include hate speech for employers with at least five workers. Tony Perkins, identified in the source as a hate group leader, responded in a column and social media post. He warned it could require churches to offer LGBTQ-affirming employment training.
Perkins questioned how hate speech would be defined and who would decide when religious beliefs become humiliation or vilification. He also said the measure does not clearly explain its effect on churches and religious ministries, and argued that churches, not the state, should guide moral instruction.
The law may affect California employers with five or more workers, including religious organizations, by adding training requirements and compliance questions. Churches and ministries could face uncertainty about whether and how the mandate applies to them, potentially prompting legal or policy debate. Employees might receive additional workplace instruction on hate speech, while religious leaders may argue the measure affects their ability to teach doctrine. The broader impact could depend on how state officials define and enforce hate speech in practice.