X, SpaceX Will Leave CA Over New Law Surrounding LGBTQ Students: Musk

HAWTHORNE, CA — Elon Musk announced Tuesday he would be leaving California, and he was taking SpaceX and his social media company X with him to Texas in protest of a state law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that prevents California schools from notifying parents if their children identify as transgender.

Musk posted on X Tuesday that he plans on moving SpaceX from Hawthorne, California to Starbase, Texas. X will move to Austin from San Francisco.

"This is the final straw," Musk wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas."

Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Support Academic Futures & Educators for Today's Youth (SAFETY) Act into law on Monday. The law bans all California school districts from adopting "parental notification policies" that force teachers and staff to inform parents or guardians when students identify as a different gender.

See related: Forced 'Outing' Of LGBTQ+ Students Banned In California

"I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children," Musk said on X.

AB1955 also requires schools to provide resources to parents and students about how to discuss issues of gender identity.

Before the new law's passing, several California school districts had already adopted "outing" policies including in Orange, Place, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was quick to respond to Musk's vow to move the company, writing on X, "This cements Texas as the leader in space exploration."

SpaceX already has significant operations in Texas, where it is developing its massive Starship vehicle—billed as the most powerful rocket ever flown—for use in the Artemis program and human/cargo missions to Mars.

Musk, the wealthiest man in the world,has long been a critic of California's progressive politics and has used his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, to make his displeasure known. In 2020, he threatened to move Tesla headquarters to Texas over California's COVID policies, and in 2021, he followed through on that threat, announcing plans to move Tesla headquarters from Palo Alto to Austin.

Musk has also said that he has moved his residence from California to Texas, where there is no state personal income tax.

Caitlin Jenner, one of the nation's most prominent transgender celebrities, expressed her support for Musk's decision on X.

"Strong move," she wrote. "The state is not the parent! Parental Rights"

See Also: Tesla To Move HQ From Palo Alto To Austin, Elon Musk Says

City News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report.