Charlotte May Repeal LGBT Protections in Exchange for Changes to HB2

LGBT Groups Call Potential Deal Between City, GOP Lawmakers ‘Foolish and Dangerous’ 

LGBT groups are urging officials in Charlotte not to compromise with Republican state lawmakers by repealing the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance in exchange for changes to House Bill 2. 

The Charlotte City Council could vote as early as Monday to symbolically repeal the ordinance, which prompted the Legislature to pass HB2 rendering local LGBT protections invalid. 

But in a letter Friday to Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts, LGBT groups said the compromise, designed to mitigate economic backlash over the anti-LGBT law and backed by the state Chamber of Commerce, would be “foolish” and “dangerous.” 

“With more than 200 business leaders, major entertainers, and the NCAA and NBA unifying against HB2, including cancelling plans to move to or perform in the city, times have been undoubtedly difficult in Charlotte and across North Carolina,” Equality North Carolina, the Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Transgender Equality wrote to Roberts. “But make no mistake, your votes on February 22 did not cause this. The reckless actions of state leaders, elected to protect all citizens, did. They are the ones who jeopardized and continue to jeopardize the state’s economic opportunities.

“The road ahead may be long, and the challenges today may feel insurmountable, but we write today to urge you to stay the course,” the groups wrote. “Backing down in the face of hate isn’t right and it won’t work.” 

The Charlotte Observer shed light on possible terms of the compromise in an editorial Friday: 

Charlotte’s move, according to sources: Rescind the anti-discrimination ordinance the city passed in February, along with others that have been rendered invalid by state law. Council members could call it a “cleaning up” of ordinances that have no power. That’s better politically than calling it a repeal.

The General Assembly’s corresponding move: Repeal and replace HB2 – or at least key parts of it. The replacement could take several forms. One possibility is to allow cities to craft ordinances making sexual orientation a protected class, as Charlotte did, so long as local voters approved the measure in a referendum. Republicans could say they’re letting citizens make the choice, not “radical” city leaders, a concept that could soothe at least some conservative voters back home.

The compromise is not a formal deal. It’s the product of discussions that began with council members who want to save Charlotte from HB2 boycotts – including the 2017 NBA All-Star Game – without abandoning protections against discrimination for the city’s gays and lesbians.

The Observer reported Monday that council members believe they have the required six votes to repeal the ordinance. However, Roberts opposes the compromise and likely would veto the repeal. It’s unclear whether the council would have the necessary seven votes to override her veto. 

Monday’s meeting begins at 5 p.m. Eastern and can be watched live here.  

There are several lawsuits surrounding HB2, which legal experts have called unconstitutional.

 

Image by Julia Sims via Twitter