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BY NICOLE THOMPSON

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

You're watching multisource news analysis from Newsy.

California Governor Jerry Brown placed a ban -- on a ban. The governor put an end to a controversial debate Sunday when he signed a bill banning bans on male circumcision.

CNN’s Don Lemon has more.

“A new California law will prevent local governments from banning the practice of male circumcision. Governor Jerry Brown signed the legislation today. The bill is in response to a group that has been trying to get a proposal on the ballot outlawing circumcision in San Francisco. California court has already ruled the state, not municipalities, regulate circumcisions because they are a medical service.”

Residents of San Francisco and Santa Monica attempted to ban circumcision in their cities earlier this summer, and sparked a bit of a controversy. The Sacramento Bee reports -

“San Francisco's first-of-its-kind initiative drew national attention for targeting circumcision, removal of the male foreskin, a practice that has biblical roots and that many believe was commanded by God in a covenant with Abraham. Opponents of circumcision liken it to ‘genital mutilation’...”

The last report from the Centers for Disease Control found circumcision rates down in the U.S.. The LA Times wonders whether all this bad publicity is to blame, given that circumcision has been shown to have certain health benefits.

“[Circumcision rates] are going down. And that's a surprise, given that hospital circumcision rates were on the upswing in the previous decade... It's not clear how much of a dent the bad publicity made... After all, studies have shown that circumcision reduces new infections of HIV in men.”

A Wall Street Journal blogger laments, the San Francisco law could have led to a Constitutional showdown.

“Supporters of the measure claim male circumcision is painful, unnecessary, and potentially risky procedure. A group of Jews and Muslims filed suit this summer, claiming the ballot measure could infringe on their rights to perform a sacred ritual. Alas, the test case on circumcision bans is not to be.”

And finally, an LA Weekly blogger takes a snip at the issue, and California laws in general, saying they distract from the real issues.

“Now all Brown and [bill sponsor State Assemblyman Mike] Gatto have to do is whip up a broader ban on cities that enact up stupid, take-your-eye-off-the-real-issues rules like West Hollywood's fur ban... and L.A.'s own cat declawing ban. Yeah, we need a ban on this insanity.”

Want more background on the ban brawl? Check out the link in our transcript section for more of Newsy’s coverage.

Transcript by Newsy.