3 States And Several Large Cities Now Banning Publicly-Funded Travel To North Carolina Over LGBT Law

Anti-LGBT Law Spurs Washington, Vermont, New York Along With Three Large Cities to Ban Taxpayer Funded Travel to Tar Heel State

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin have now joined New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in banning state-funded non-essential travel to North Carolina, as a result of Gov. Pat McCrory signing HB2, an anti-LGBT law last week. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, Portland Mayor Charlie Hales, and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee have also banned taxpayer funded to the Tar Heel State.

Last week Gov. McCrory signed an extremely broad anti-LGBT bill into law just 12 hours after it was first introduced int he General Assembly. North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is challenging McCrory for the governorship, has refused to defend the law in court as he has deem it “unconstitutional.”

Washington Gov. Inslee says his travel ban is “consistent with our state’s approach to tolerance, fairness and a lack of discrimination,” according to ABC 11.

He recognized that while it may have little financial impact on the state, “I do think these things – they’re mostly symbolic – but symbolism is important when it comes to ending discrimination in our country.” 

EARLIER: NY Governor Andrew Cuomo Bans Non-Essential State Travel to North Carolina

Vermont Gov. Shumlin called HB2 “an absolute disgrace,” WPTZ reports.

“Vermont has a proud tradition of protecting the rights of LGBT individuals. I’m making this decision in that tradition. I’m proud to join with New York in taking this action. I hope other states will join us in applying pressure on North Carolina to recognize common sense, common decency, and common humanity and repeal this law.”

San Francisco’s Ed Lee was the first mayor to issue a ban.

“We are standing united as San Franciscans to condemn North Carolina’s new discriminatory law that turns back the clock on protecting the rights of all Americans including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals,” the Mayor said, according to The Advocate.

New York City Mayor de Blasio said, “I think it’s quite clear that voices of conscience all over the country are expressing outrage at these decisions which are reinstituting discrimination against the LGBT community.”

“My hope is that both these states will relent, but we certainly are not going to have any non-essential travel to those states if these laws do continue in effect.”

 

Image by The New Civil Rights Movement