Murrieta nonprofit sues state over constitutionality of transgender sanctuary law

By City News Service

Prizes announced for this year's Riverside County science fair

By Staff

Nearly 70 Riverside County students earned gold medals, including three sweepstakes winners, while dozens more earned prizes and entries into state, national and international competitions at the conclusion of the county's 2023 Science and Engineering Fair, the Office of Education announced.

A total of 450 students from 25 affiliate fairs representing public, charter and private schools presented their research in 347 projects covering 19 subject matter categories last week at the Bourns Technology Center in Riverside.

Gold, silver, and bronze medals were presented to the students, along with community donor awards.

Within each of the 19 categories, students competed in the Elementary division for students in grades 4-5; Junior division, grades 6-8; and Senior division for high school students.

Winners in the Junior and Senior divisions advance to the California State Science and Engineering Fair scheduled for April 11 at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

Gold medal winners in Junior division advance to the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge.

Sweepstakes awards were presented to one project in Grades 4/5 combined, one project in the Junior division, and one project in the Senior division:

Elementary — Elijah Holm, Seneca Elementary School, Moreno Valley USD, "Understanding the Algorithms of a Rubik’s

See Science fair Page 24

AMurrieta-based nonprofit filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging the constitutional validity of California's so-called "transgender sanctuary law," which permits children to come into the state for gender-altering surgeries despite parental opposition or legal actions filed in other states to bar the procedures.

"Senate Bill 107 is a dangerous piece of legislation that strips the right of parents to direct the care and upbringing of their child," Advocates for Faith & Freedom attorney Mariah Gondeiro, representing the nonprofit Our Watch, said in a statement. "Parents, not the government, are best suited to decide whether their child should undergo lifealtering drugs and surgeries that will impair their ability to become a parent later in life."

Tim Thompson, president of Our Watch and pastor at 412 Church Temecula Valley, said that SB 107, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in September, flies in the face of parental rights, which he deemed sacrosanct, and therefore "is a dangerous, irresponsible law."

The bill, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, was intended to set California apart from "other states' laws that punish people for providing or receiving gender-affirming healthcare."

The legislation specifically prohibits courts in California from honoring subpoenas, extradition orders or other requests intended to prevent a minor from proceed - ing with a surgery or treatment that "may include, but is not limited to, interventions to suppress the development of endogenous secondary sex characteristics, or to align the patient's appearance or physical body with the patient's gender identity."

The law exempts the child from the "personal jurisdiction" of a parent when the youth decides to go ahead with a surgery or mental health counseling related to transgenderism. However, the child must have established residency in California, or at least be with "a person acting as a parent" who has a "significant connection with this state" before the sanctuary component of

See Transgender sanctuary Page 13

Riverside supervisors approve physician sharing program between county, Loma Linda

City

Service

Riverside County supervisors on Tuesday approved an agreement between the Riverside University Health System and Loma Linda University Health to maintain a physician sharing program, facilitating the rotation of doctors between the county public hospital and the Loma Linda medical center for enhanced training and learning opportunities.

In a 5-0 vote without comment, the board authorized the $34.54 million compact, which will expire on June 30, 2027.

"The benefits of this agreement and these (physician) rotations include that they provide more qualified, fellow-

See Loma Linda Page 13 in court case number ES016728 City of Burbank, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The Glendale Independent has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number ES016579 City of Glendale, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The Monterey Park Press has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number ES016580 City of Monterey Park, County of Los Angeles, State of California.

The West Covina Press has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in court case number KS017304 City of West Covina, County of