NORTH CAROLINA: Hate Laws Intact As Session Ends

After the NBA and LGBT activists objected to a “fix” to North Carolina’s anti-LGBT laws that many said was worse than the original, the clock ran out last night with only a minor change. The Charolotte Observer reports:

The North Carolina legislature adjourned for the year late Friday after lawmakers gave final approval to the state budget, hammered out or scrapped other compromises and agreed to make a small change to a new law that limits nondiscrimination rules for LGBT people.

The two chambers also late Friday agreed to make a change to the law known as House Bill 2 as requested by McCrory, who wanted to have restored the right of workers to sue for employment discrimination using a state law. It cleared the House by a vote of 85-15 and 27-14 in the Senate and now goes to McCrory. His office didn’t immediately respond the action.

But the change to House Bill 2, approved in March and the subject of criticism nationally, didn’t repeal provisions that limited non-discrimination rules for lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people and directed which restroom transgender people can use.

The legislature reconvenes in January 2017 unless Gov. Pat McCrory calls them back.