The Charlotte City Council voted unanimously today to repeal an ordinance that protected LGBT people from discrimination.
But it’s not actually bad news, even though it sounds like it; this was the ordinance that originally inspired North Carolina to pass HB2, and repealing it seems to be part of the process to repeal HB2 itself. Gov. Pat McCrory refused to repeal HB2 even as it was losing North Carolina millions of dollars and lots of jobs, but Governor-elect Roy Cooper is making repealing HB2 a top priority.
According to Governor-elect Roy Cooper, a Democrat, the surprise repeal was part of an agreement reached with lawmakers to in turn repeal a state law, House Bill 2 (or HB2), that had banned such ordinances and restricted the rights of transgender people.
“Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore assured me that as a result of Charlotte’s vote, a special session will be called for Tuesday to repeal HB2 in full,” Cooper said in a statement. “I hope they will keep their word to me and with the help of Democrats in the legislature, HB2 will be repealed in full.”
Republican Gov. Pat McCrory’s confirmed on Monday he will call a special legislative session to repeal the HB2 law.
The Charlotte ordinance, passed by the city council in February 2016, had added marital and familial status, sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity to the list of protected characteristics on which individuals cannot be discriminated against by businesses or public accommodations.
Definitely didn’t see this coming – the hastiness of the process or the repeal in Charlotte – but it looks like things are moving along. Now, let’s see if these lawmakers actually follow through on their promise.
