RALEIGH, N.C. — In a move that could lead to the repeal of North Carolina’s anti-LGBT law, H.B. 2, the Charlotte City Council voted today to repeal its LGBT non-discrimination ordinance.
LGBT and civil rights advocacy groups called on North Carolina legislative leaders to follow through and repeal H.B. 2, the state law that bans many transgender people from appropriate restrooms and prohibits local municipalities from extending nondiscrimination protections to LGBT people. The law caused harm to transgender people across the state and cost North Carolina hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue because of widespread opposition to the measure from both the general public and business community.
“H.B. 2 was an unprecedented attack on the LGBT community, in particular against transgender people, and we are encouraged that its days are numbered,” said Sarah Gillooly, policy director for the ACLU of North Carolina. “It is imperative that the General Assembly hold up their end of the deal and repeal H.B. 2 in full without delay. This will be an important step for North Carolinians to move forward, but it never should have come at the cost of protections for LGBT people living in Charlotte.”
“LGBT rights aren’t a bargaining chip. Charlotte shouldn’t have had to repeal its ordinance in exchange for H.B. 2 to be repealed,” said Simone Bell, the Southern Regional Director for Lambda Legal. “LGBT people in North Carolina still need protection from discrimination.”
“We continue to support the full repeal of HB2, but we’ve also seen just in the past week that Sen. Berger and Speaker Moore have no intention of operating in good faith when it comes to special sessions,” said Gerrick Brenner, executive director of Progress NC Action. “In order to prevent this from turning into yet another partisan power grab, lawmakers must provide assurances that HB2 will be the only issue lawmakers take up — and that they will not revisit the issue in the future once HB2 is repealed.”
Recognizing the importance of creating a positive and conducive environment for business, in February, the Charlotte City Council passed the city-wide non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. While city leaders sent a clear message that discrimination has no place in Charlotte, in response, Governor Pat McCrory and state lawmakers rammed HB2 into law and doubled down on discrimination. Eventually making only one tweak to the law, the General Assembly was unwilling to even consider repealing the substance of HB2, including its provision targeting transgender people, and its removal of municipalities’ ability to pass LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination laws and minimum wage ordinances.
A broad range of voices have spoken out over the last 9 months about the need for HB2’s full and complete repeal. The economic fallout — including more than $600 million in lost business — has continued to grow as companies concerned with protecting their consumers and employees have moved conventions, trainings, operations, productions, and other events out of state. The NBA, NCAA, and business leaders have made clear that cities like Orlando and Dallas — cities with full protections — are where they can ensure the safety of their employees and fans. That means Charlotte’s actions must be temporary. The city needs fully inclusive non-discrimination protections, period.
North Carolina polling released by HRC and Equality NC found that HB2 was the critical issue leading to Governor Pat McCrory’s defeat — the only incumbent governor from either party to lose on election day. The HRC and Equality NC survey of 500 North Carolina voters found them opposed to HB2 by a 62 to 30 percent margin. HB2 was also listed as the leading reason to vote against McCrory — with 57 percent citing HB2, 17 points above any other issue.
“Governor-elect Cooper has briefed us on a deal he brokered with state lawmakers to reach a complete and total repeal of HB2,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “HB2 is precisely why North Carolinians went to the polls and ousted Governor McCrory last month. It’s time to chart a new course guided by the state’s values of dignity and respect, not discrimination and hate — and to ensure non-discrimination protections exist in cities, towns and across the state of North Carolina. It’s been 271 days since the shameful and archaic HB2 was first passed, and the entire country has witnessed its devastating impact. It’s time for state lawmakers to repeal HB2 and begin repairing the harm this bill has done to people and the damage it has done to North Carolina’s reputation and economy.”
“The problem has never been Charlotte. Charlotte’s ordinance was a best practice employed in hundreds of cities across the country,” said Equality North Carolina Executive Director Chris Sgro. “The Charlotte City Council and mayor did the right thing by passing their ordinance — HB2 is wrong. Since its passage, the deeply discriminatory HB2 has hurt our economy and people. Now, the General Assembly must fully repeal HB2 so that we can start the necessary talks for protecting LGBTQ people and bring back businesses across the state. We look forward to working with Governor-elect Cooper to win protections community by community and statewide.”
