On Monday, North Carolina Governor-elect Roy Cooper announced that the state will be repealing the controversial HB2 law that restricted rights of LGBT residents. It had originally been reported the bill would have stayed put, even as Democrat Cooper was taking office.
The restrictive HB2 bill was seen as controversial, as it impeded on several rights of LGBT citizens. Essentially, transgender people were required to use a bathroom that corresponded with the sex listed on their birth certificate. The bill saw much backlash, with residents boycotting businesses and entertainers refusing to perform in the state, which had a negative impact on the state’s economy. And Governor Pat McCrory didn’t help matters by joking about the bill and the state’s LGBT community. Cooper said he is working closely with legislators to repeal the law:
“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 HB 2 in full. I hope they will keep their word to me and with the help of Democrats in the legislature, HB2 will be repealed in full.”
This does come as surprising news, as the state’s GOP-led legislature and McCrory haven’t made the transition for Cooper easy. Last week he covertly passed several bills that restricted Cooper’s power in office. Cooper had threated to sue legislators when the bills passed, which makes the HB2 repeal announcement all the more unexpected.
(Via ABC News / The News & Observer)