This seems like an incredibly misguided idea on many levels.
Academic conferences aren’t organized by governments, they are largely organized by academics. So it makes it very difficult for your researchers to do their job. Collaborators in Tennessee? Better ditch 'em.
Will it actually hurt these states? Would need to see the dollar value of travel by California employees to these states, but I can’t imagine it’s that much. Maybe if another 25 or so states signed on? Things are probably too interconnected to make that happen.
Will state governments in these four states give a hoot? Seems more likely they’ll wear it as a badge of pride. Why give them ammunition?
Seems a better plan to export your values to backward states, rather than re-enforcing the echo chamber.
