( CNN ) -- California Gov . Jerry Brown signed into law Sunday a bill that prevents local governments from banning the practice of male circumcision . The legislation comes in response to an effort this summer by a San Francisco Bay Area advocacy group opposed to the practice to get a measure proposing a citywide ban added to the November 8 city ballot . In July , a Superior Court judge ordered the proposed measure removed from the ballot , saying that male circumcision is `` a widely practiced medical procedure '' and that medical services are left to the regulation of the state , not individual cities . The legislation signed Sunday , which takes effect immediately , prohibits governments at the local or county level from `` restricting the practice of male circumcision '' and `` declares that the laws affecting male circumcision must have uniform application throughout the state . ''
The law prevents local governments from enforcing such a ban . A San Francisco group tried in July to get a citywide ban added to the November ballot . But it was rejected by voters who said they wanted more time for public input and other measures that would have made the measure less restrictive on gun owners.