A bill passed by the California State Senate would revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits like the Boy Scouts of America that discriminate against adult participants on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identification, the Sacramento Bee reports.

Introduced by Ricardo Lara, who promotes himself as the first openly gay senator of color in California, the Youth Equality Act would require tax-exempt organizations that discriminate to pay state taxes, while donors supporting such groups would have to pay taxes on their donations. The bill, which passed the state senate 27-9, now advances to the state assembly.

Rick Cronk — former president of the Boy Scouts of America, which recently lifted its ban on gay scouts but continues to bar openly gay or lesbian adult leaders — told a state senate committee in April that he feared such a law would affect the organization's ability to operate at full capacity. "You're talking about taxing revenue that is very important," said Cronk, "especially to the local scouts."

But Lara defended the legislation, telling the Huffington Post, "While the Boy Scouts of America took a step in the right direction to include LGBT youth, the standing ban on LGBT adults is premised on absurd assumptions and stereotypes that perpetuate homophobia and ignorance. Equality doesn't come with an expiration date and we shouldn't allow discrimination to be subsidized; not in our state, not on our dime."