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Said Indiana Gov. Mike Pence of his last-minute decision to request an amendment to his state鈥檚 law after heated boycotts and protests, 鈥淚 believe resolving this controversy and making clear that every person feels welcome and respected in our state is best.鈥�

Clearly, that sentiment was not shared by Matthew McLaughlin, the obscure California lawyer whose proposed ballot initiative, the 鈥淪odomite Suppression Act,鈥� would make gay sex acts punishable in California by 鈥渄eath by bullets to the head,鈥� ban 鈥渟odomistic propaganda,鈥� and bar LGBT people from public employment or benefits. There is virtually no chance that McLaughlin鈥檚 clearly unconstitutional proposal will become law. Supporters (assuming there is more than one) would have to collect some 365,000 signatures to even get the proposal on the ballot, and it would surely be rejected. To be extra sure, California Attorney General Kamala Harris asked a court to allow her to block the measure.

Meanwhile, other states went ahead with some of their own bizarre legislative proposals and legal actions 鈥� most of which were proposed by elected officials.

鈥� The Arizona Senate on March 10 approved a so-called 鈥淪econd Amendment Preservation Act鈥� that would bar law enforcement officers from enforcing any 鈥渇ederal act, law, order, rule or regulation鈥� regarding 鈥渁 personal firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition within鈥� Arizona. The law is almost certainly a violation of the U.S. Constitution鈥檚 Supremacy Clause, which says that conflicts between state and federal laws must be resolved in favor of the federal government. It is one of numerous so-called 鈥渘ullification鈥� statutes working their way through various state legislatures, all of which hang their hats on the dubious legal theory claiming that states have the right to ignore federal laws they consider unconstitutional.

鈥� Oklahoma lawmakers voted to ban Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History classes in high school because, according to state Rep. Dan Fisher (R), who introduced the 鈥渆mergency鈥� legislation, it teaches only 鈥渨hat is bad about America.鈥� Not to be outdone, fellow state Rep. Sally Kern (R) asked the state attorney general to bar all AP courses because she considers them similar to Common Core, a set of educational standards that many on the far right see as an attack on freedom. AP courses are not required but can help students save time and money by earning college credit in advance.

鈥� Kern also sponsored a 鈥淔reedom to Obtain Conversion Therapy鈥� bill that would explicitly legalize so-called 鈥渃onversion therapy,鈥� a dangerous and discredited practice aimed at 鈥渉elping鈥� LGBT people shed their same-sex attractions. The practice already is banned for minors in California, New Jersey and Oregon and in April, President Obama expressed support for outlawing it nationwide.

鈥� In Nevada, Assemblywoman Michele Fiore proposed a 鈥渢erminally ill bill鈥� that would allow fatally ill patients to use non-FDA-approved treatments. Arguing for her proposal, Fiore said she believes cancer 鈥渋s a fungus鈥� that can be treated with saltwater and baking soda. She said the bill could make Nevada 鈥渢he medical capital of the world.鈥�

鈥� The new head of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) had to clarify that there is no ban on mentioning the words 鈥渃limate change,鈥� after the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting published a story quoting numerous former DEP officials who said they had been ordered to avoid the term, along with 鈥渟ustainability鈥� and 鈥済lobal warming.鈥澛�