The California State Supreme Court’s ethics advisory committee wants the court to prohibit California judges from membership in the Boy Scouts because the 2.7 million-member youth organization bars gays and lesbians from becoming troop leaders.

If the Supreme Court agrees, California will join 21 other states whose judicial ethics codes have antidiscrimination provisions that forbid judges from affiliating with the Boy Scouts.

Banning scout membership would “promote the integrity of the judiciary” and “enhance public confidence in the impartiality of the judiciary,” the ethics committee said.  Deron Smith, a spokesman for the Boy Scouts said the Scouts “would be disappointed with anything that limits our volunteers’ ability to serve more youth . . . [t]oday, more than ever, youth need the character and leadership programs of Scouting.”

In 2003, the California Supreme Court ordered judges to disclose any connections to the Boy Scouts in cases involving gay rights and related issues, and to disqualify themselves for any conflicts of interest.

The deadline for comment is April 15, 2014.  The invitation to comment is posted on the California Courts website at http://www.courts.ca.gov/policyadmin-invitationstocomment.htm.

Comments should be sent to Ms. Camilla Kieliger, Administrative Office of the Courts, Legal Services Office, 455 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California 94102, the committee said.  The committee is chaired by Justice Richard Fybel of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Div. Three.