Beth Walton

bwalton@citizen-times.com

RALEIGH - North Carolina legislators will repeal the contentious HB2 law that limited protections for LGBT people and led to an economic backlash, the state’s incoming governor said Monday.

Gov.-elect Roy Cooper made the announcement shortly after the Charlotte City Council voted to repeal its own local ordinance enacted in early 2016. It was that ordinance that Republicans blamed for the statewide 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 HB2 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 I hope they will keep their word to me and with the help of Democrats in the legislature, HB2 will be repealed in full,” the Democrat said in a statement.

The repeal would be a remarkable sign of cooperation for the incoming governor and the GOP-controlled legislature. Just last week, lawmakers called a special session and stripped Cooper of some of his authority when he takes office next month.

Outgoing Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, who narrowly lost the November election to Cooper, issued a statement saying he will call the special session but also accusing Democrats of using the issue for political gain.

Repealing the law would be a remarkable sign of cooperation for the incoming governor and the GOP-controlled legislature. Just last week, lawmakers called a special session and stripped Cooper of some of his authority when he takes office next month.

The Charlotte council’s move is contingent on North Carolina legislators fully repealing HB2 by Dec. 31.

HB2 requires transgender people to use restrooms corresponding with the sex on their birth certificate in many public buildings. It also excludes sexual orientation and gender identity from statewide antidiscrimination protections.

McCrory and lawmakers have defended the bathroom provisions as providing privacy and safety by keeping men out of women’s restrooms. Opponents of the law call it discriminatory.

Since HB2 passed in March, North Carolina has suffered a backlash that has included companies declining to expand in the state and cancellations of rock concerts. The NCAA and ACC have also moved college sports events out of the state.

Allison Scott, a transgender woman who lives in Asheville, said people in her community are concerned that the General Assembly won't follow through with the governor elect's promise.

The City of Charlotte is "bowing to the pressure of G.O.P. in Raleigh and it is morally wrong," she said.

Despite the fact that the Charlotte leaders have said their move is contingent on the full repeal of HB2, republican lawmakers have repeatedly said they would not overturn the bathroom part of the ordinance, Scott said.

The fear is that legislators will repeal parts of HB2, but the discriminatory measure against transgender people will stay in place, she said.

"What is Charlotte doing?" Scott questioned. "How are we supposed to get anywhere when our cities don't stand by us?"

Scott is a co-director of Tranzmission, an Asheville-based nonprofit seeking to empower and support transgender people and their allies.

“I'm just furious," she said. "I'm hurt. I'm sad and I see people. It's blowing up online. People are already saying, 'What am I supposed to do? Here's another group of people who were behind us, but are no longer behind us.' (The Charlotte City Council) is giving in. They are taking the easy way out."

Jonathan Drew with Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cooper says he can carry out agenda, roll back HB2