North Carolina Fails Again

North Carolina's state legislature has failed to pass legislation repealing HB2 before adjourning a special session. Previously the Charlotte City Council voted to repeal its local city ordinance that clashed with HB2 after receiving commitment from the state lawmakers to repeal the anti LGBTQ law. Rea Carey, Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund stated, “The full repeal of HB2 with no harmful amendments would be welcomed news for North Carolina but instead, GOP lawmakers have turned their backs on LGBTQ people, workers, veterans, women & people of faith. Let's be clear: HB2 is bad for business, bad for politicians but bad for all North Carolinians as it denies millions of people freedom, justice, equality & human dignity. HB2 bans cities & local jurisdictions from enacting non-discrimination protections on grounds such as race & gender, from enacting equal pay laws, family paid leave & livable minimum wages. Tonight, self-interested North Carolina politicians showed that they will stop at nothing as they resigned themselves to an even worse reputation & an economy that’s continuing to plummet. If nothing else, these lawmakers not only need to repeal HB2 but also pass comprehensive nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. If they do nothing, HB2 will go down in history as one of the most vindictive & damaging laws in the state’s recent history. We are deeply disappointed that the Charlotte City Council repealed its landmark law in good conscience & the state lawmakers failed to do their part. What is particularly notable about all of this is the role that thousands of people of faith played in protesting HB2 as immoral…This was a tremendous opportunity for North Carolina to right a great wrong; it’s unconscionable that lawmakers chose to waste it.”
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