The North Carolina legislature adjourned last night without making any meaningful changes to the state’s controversial anti-LGBT law, HB2.
Even with the NBA threatening to move the 2017 All-Star game, and LGBT activists railing against the hateful legislation, the state lawmakers barely did a drive-by tweak to the law.
The two chambers also late Friday agreed to make a change to the law known as House Bill 2 as requested by McCrory, who wanted to have restored the right of workers to sue for employment discrimination using a state law. It cleared the House by a vote of 85-15 and 27-14 in the Senate and now goes to McCrory. His office didn’t immediately respond the action.
But the change to House Bill 2, approved in March and the subject of criticism nationally, didn’t repeal provisions that limited non-discrimination rules for lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people and directed which restroom transgender people can use.
Charles Barkley, NBA legend and current TNT analyst, says the NBA will need to relocate the All-Star Game out of North Carolina next year because of the anti-LGBT law HB2.
During an appearance on the “The Dan Patrick Show,” Barkley was asked, “Will you consider boycotting the All-Star Game?”
“Yes,” Barkley responded. “I told my boss, I don’t want to act like I’m jumping on a sword, but I’ve talked to Adam Silver, we need to move the All-Star Game,” he said, speaking of the NBA Commissioner.
“I hope they don’t put me in a situation where I have to boycott the All-Star Game. We need to move the All-Star Game.”
North Carolina has already suffered economic losses totally in the millions thanks to the controversial legislation.
Maroon 5 joins an extremely long list of entertainment acts to cancel dates in North Carolina over the recently passed anti-LGBT legislation HB2. Both Charlotte and Raleigh will lose dates on the band’s schedule.
We have announced that we will be canceling our upcoming shows in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina because of the recent passage of the HB2 legislation.
This was a difficult decision for us to make as a band. We don’t want to penalize our fans in North Carolina by not performing for them, but in the end it comes down to what we feel is morally right.
We are announcing our cancellation of our Charlotte and Raleigh, NC shows. Read our statement on our website here- https://t.co/3FIFqmaOfj
Rather than cancel their scheduled concert in North Carolina, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros took a different approach to protesting North Carolina’s HB 2,
Frontman Alex Ebert told the crowd of 2,500 that although he had to miss his friends’ wedding, wouldn’t it be a good idea if he could help them renew those vows in front of the audience?
He then invited those friends, Dan Mathews and Jack Ryan, on stage to do just that.
And the crowd goes wild!
Ebert told Rolling Stone, “HB2 was passed by an immoral minority – North Carolina has many thriving, creative, modern communities. We were tempted to cancel the show, but decided at the last minute to rally the crowd instead by renewing the vows of our good friends onstage.”
Competitive sports organization Ironman reports that about 200 of their athletes have chosen to transfer to races in states other than North Carolina due to the controversial, anti-LGBT legislation, HB2.
Ironman had reached out to it’s registrants via email, giving the athletes until May 9th to change switch to another North American race.
“As many of you are aware, the state of North Carolina recently approved a bill that has raised the concerns of many, including us at Ironman,” the organization said in an email to registrants. “While we plan to move forward with our races in Raleigh and Wilmington, we recognize that some of you may no longer wish to race in North Carolina.”
“Ironman is an all-inclusive sport and we will continue to always provide an arena for all individuals to pursue their goals and dreams of becoming an Ironman,” the organization said in the email.
HB2 sets a statewide class of nondiscrimination that does not include sexual orientation or gender identity. It also requires people in government facilities to use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender on their birth certificate. The bill, which overturned a Charlotte non-discrimination ordinance, was signed into law March 23.
Earlier this month, the Justice Department sent state leaders a letter saying that HB2 violates the Civil Rights Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 – a finding that could jeopardize billions in federal education funding. Those laws ban employment discrimination and discrimination in education based on sex.
A number of major businesses have come out against the law, including Bank of America, Lowe’s and American Airlines. PayPal scrapped an expansion in Charlotte, musicians have canceled concerts and conventions have pulled out of the state.
The Human Rights Campaign, via press release, shares the news that four North Carolina state Representatives introduced legislation today that would repeal anti-LGBT law HB2 and provide comprehensive LGBT non-discrimination protections.
Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, commended North Carolina Representatives Chris Sgro, Pricey Harrison, Susan Fisher, and Kelly Alexander for introducing a comprehensive LGBT non-discrimination bill in the North Carolina General Assembly. This bill would be a companion to HB 946, sponsored by Representatives Jackson, Meyer, Hamilton and G. Martin, and SB 784, sponsored by Senators Van Duyn, J. Jackson, and Woodard.
“We have always known, and come to understand even more urgently during the HB2 debate, the incredible need for non-discrimination protections for LGBT and other North Carolinians,” said Representative Chris Sgro, one of the sponsors of the legislation. “This bill, along with the repeal of HB2, is the important next step that this General Assembly and Governor McCrory must take in order to make North Carolina a true state of equality and help heal our national reputation.”
The non-discrimination bill introduced today comes after Gov. Pat McCrory said on Fox News’ “On the Record” that he did not believe that companies should be able to fire someone because of who they are or whom they love. Not only does North Carolina lack such explicit statewide LGBT non-discrimination protections, but among other things, HB2 also eliminated the ability of North Carolinians to be able to sue if they experienced discrimination in the workforce, including on the basis of race, religion, national origin and sex.
North Carolina Attorney General Roy Moore, currently running to unseat Gov. Pat McCrory, put out this message today asking the governor to lead the charge on repealing the state’s anti-LGBT law, HB2.
Text of the video:
Since Governor McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law just weeks ago, there has been a real and devastating impact on North Carolina’s economy and reputation. Already we have lost thousands of jobs and tens of millions of dollars in economic activity.
And now the governor is pouring gas on the fire that he lit and putting billions in education funding on the line. Instead of doing what’s right for our state, he’s doubling down on what he knows he did wrong. Enough is enough.
For decades, North Carolina has been a beacon in the south with great universities, technology and forward thinking leaders. But now, the governor is putting all that and more at risk with his partisan gamesmanship.
Governor, for the sake of our schools, our children, our economy, and our good name, set the politics aside and undo this discriminatory law now.
Although he was leading in the gubernatorial race before HB2, since signing the legislation into law McCrory has consistently trailed Moore in the polls.
1. The United States files this complaint challenging a provision of North Carolina law requiring public agencies to deny transgender persons access to multiple-occupancy bathrooms and changin facilities consistent with their gender identity.
2.As set forth below, Defendants’ compliance with and implementation of Part I of North Carolina Session Law 2016-3, House Bill 2 (“H.B. 2”), which was enacted and became effective on March 23, 2016, constitutes a pattern or practice of employment discrimination on the basis of sex in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq. (“Title VII”); discrimination on the basis of sex in an education program receiving federal funds in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681, et seq. (“Title IX”), and its implementing regulations, 28 C.F.R. Part 54 (2000), 34 C.F.R. Part 106 (2010); and discrimination on the basis of sex and gender identity in programs receiving federal funds in violation of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (“VAWA”), 42 U.S.C. §13925(b)(13).
Speaking directly to transgender Americans during a press conference today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said,”No matter how isolated, how afraid, and no matter how alone you may feel today, note this — the Department of Justice and indeed the entire Obama Administration want you to know: we see you, we stand with you, and we will do everything we can to support you going forward.”
Lynch, who was born in North Carolina, addressed the governor’s claim that the Department of Justice is “bullying” North Carolina lawmakers. “I think the people who probably feel bullied are the transgender individuals who live and work in the state of North Carolina.”
The DOJ’s filing makes it clear that the federal government sees “transgender” discrimination as a “sex discrimination” issue.
“For individuals who have aspects of their sex that are not in alignment, the person’s gender identity is the primary factor in determining that person’s sex.”
Faced with repealing the recently passed anti-transgender HB2 or face legal wrangling with the federal government, North Carolina has chosen the latter.
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory is going to court in a fight for a state law that limits protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
McCrory is leading a lawsuit filed Monday seeking to keep in place the law the U.S. Justice Department said last week violated the civil rights of transgender people.
The Justice Department had set a deadline of Monday for McCrory to report whether he would refuse to enforce the last that took effect in March.
The lawsuit filed by North Carolina asserts that “Transgender status is not a protected class under Title VII,” and therefore not covered by Title VII. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals has already issued guidance to the contrary.
According to a new CNN/ORC Poll, 57% of Americans oppose anti-trans “bathroom laws” like HB2 in North Carolina, and three-quarters favor laws guaranteeing equal protection for transgender individuals.
UPDATE – U.S. Attorney General will hold a 3:30PM press conference today to announce law enforcement action against North Carolina over its anti-LGBT HB 2 law.
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, appearing on Fox News Sunday, told host Chris Wallace that he will comply with the Justice Department’s Monday deadline to either scrap its transgender bathroom law or face legal action and risk losing federal funds.
McCrory made specific mention of the three working days that the state was given to repeal the anti-trans law.
“I don’t think that three working days is enough time for such a pretty big threat,” he told Fox News. “It’s the federal government being a bully, making law.”
Interestingly, the legislation was passed and signed into law in less than one day. I’m not sure how the governor and state lawmakers couldn’t undo in three days what it did in one.
The Human Rights Campaign brings up the same issue in a statement today:
“If HB2 was passed in a day, it can be repealed in a day, too. Pat McCrory’s excuse that he needs more time to comply with the Department of Justice after he rammed through and signed HB2 in the dark of night in a matter of hours doesn’t hold water,” said HRC Communications Director Jay Brown. “Pat McCrory even admitted on national television that his biggest excuse for passing HB2 is a lie. He couldn’t cite a single example of threats to public safety from non-discrimination ordinances like the one in Charlotte. That’s because they do not exist. HB2 is breaking federal civil rights laws and has put billions of dollars in federal funding on the line. It must be fully repealed immediately.”
