North Carolina passes law to repeal ‘bathroom bill’
has been a dark cloud hanging over our great state,” the governor said in announcing the signing. “It has stained our reputation, it has discriminated against our people, and it has caused great economic harm in many of our communities.”
The American Civil Liberties Union and gay rights activists complained that the new law still denies gay and transgender people certain protections from discrimination, and they demanded nothing less than full repeal.
As a result, it was unclear whether the retreat from HB2 would stop the boycotts or satisfy the NCAA. The NCAA had no immediate comment.
Republican Rep. Scott Stone, who lives in Charlotte, urged his col- leagues to vote for the new bill. It passed the House 70-48.
“We are impeding the growth in our revenue, in our ability to do more things for tourism, for teacher pay, while we have this stigma hanging over,” Stone said. “The time has come for us to get out from under the national spotlight for negative things. You can’t go anywhere on this planet without somebody knowing what HB2 is and having some perception about it.”
Conservatives, meanwhile, staunchly defended HB2 and condemned the new measure.
“This bill is at best a punt. At worst it is a betrayal of principle,” Republican Sen. Dan Bishop, a primary sponsor of HB2, said on the Senate floor as the rollback was approved 32-16 , with nine of 15 Democrats among the yes votes.
While the new measure eliminates the rule on transgender bathroom use, it also makes clear that state legislators — not local government or school officials — are in charge of policy on public restrooms.
HB2 had invalidated any local ordinances that protect gay or transgender people from discrimination in the workplace or in public accommodations. Under the new measure, local governments can’t enact any new such protections until December 2020.