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ADL CONDEMNS N.C. GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR FAILURE TO REPEAL “HB2,” CALLING ITS ACTIONS “DISGRACEFUL”

  • December 22, 2016

Washington, D.C., December 22, 2016 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today strongly condemned the North Carolina General Assembly for its failure to follow through on its promise to repeal the state’s unlawful and discriminatory anti-LGBT law, commonly still referred to as House bill (HB2).

LGBT residents in North Carolina now continue to be subjected to the state-sanctioned discrimination and inequality authorized by HB2.

“We strongly condemn the North Carolina General Assembly for failing, once again, to fully repeal this reckless law – one that never should have passed in the first place,” said David C. Friedman, ADL Washington D.C. Regional Director. “Regrettably, its full repeal was conditioned on the City of Charlotte withdrawing necessary LGBT anti-discrimination protections, which the City had already followed through with. HB2, which is as illegal as it is unjust, has led to damage of the state’s economy, has caused significant harm to all its citizens, and has resulted in costly litigation. In light of these events, this self-inflicted damage will undoubtedly continue.

“The political games played by the legislature throughout the day yesterday were disgraceful,” Mr. Friedman added. “Equality, fairness, and standing on the right side of history should be reasons enough for legislators to fully repeal HB2.  It is outrageous that the General Assembly continues to ignore the widespread opposition to the discriminatory nature of HB2 and the harm that the law has caused to LGBT and all citizens of North Carolina.”

In February 2016, the Charlotte City Council added gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and marital and familial status to the characteristics protected by the city’s Non-Discrimination Ordinances. Within 24 hours, the legislature – without public hearings or input – hastily enacted HB2, which banned many transgender people from appropriate restrooms and prohibited local municipalities from extending nondiscrimination protections to LGBT people. The law resulted in litigation and significant national economic backlash against the state.

“LGBT residents of North Carolina are in need of discrimination protections,” Mr. Friedman said. “We continue to stand with the people of North Carolina in calling for a full repeal of HB2 and the enactment of comprehensive state-wide protections. The time for legal equality in North Carolina is long overdue.”

ADL had welcomed decisions by the NCAA and the NBA to relocate events from North Carolina because of HB2, previously called upon the state’s General Assembly to repeal HB2, and rejected as woefully insufficient Governor McCrory’s prior face-saving effort to remedy parts of the law through executive order.