North Carolina's House Bill 2 is a law which has attracted national attention in recent weeks. The law, passed by North Carolina's General Assembly last month, blocks cities and municipal governments from passing laws which would protect gay and transgender people. The law has been called a major step backwards, and has brought LGBT discrimination to the forefront of the national dialogue.
A stirring question arises from all of this: How did this happen?
The bill is regarded by many as a response to decisions made by the Charlotte City Council. An ordinance last February by the council includes protections for gay and transgender people in areas of "public accommodation," meaning stores, restaurants, and hotels. Included in the ordinance is a provision which allowed transgender people to use bathrooms which matched the gender they identified as. In response, the North Carolina General Assembly stepped in.
North Carolina's General Assembly called for a special session to pass House Bill 2, nicknamed the "Bathroom Bill." It mandated that local governments could not make a determination on the LGBT bathroom issue on their own -- they had to do as the state said. The result is a stripping of all legal protections for gay and transgender people in North Carolina. In disgust, the bill's opposition walked out of the Assembly in a refusal to vote.
What's worse is that the passage of this law isn't just bad for civil rights. It's hurting North Carolina's economy as well. A number of businesses have publicly made known their opposition to House Bill 2. Apple, Google, Pepsico, Bank of America, and more have all released statements airing their disappointment with the law. A withdrawal of capital from North Carolina's cities could have severe effects on the availability of jobs.
To make matters worse, HB2 also included a state cap on the minimum wage, essentially telling local governments that they cannot raise their own minimum wage beyond the statewide wage of $7.25 per hour. This could have negative effects on cities like Charlotte, which have raised their minimum wage to higher levels than the state minimum in order to attract a larger labor market.
As of right now, the bill is law, but a federal lawsuit could overturn it. Until then, however, North Carolina will remain at the forefront of a civil rights battle which could determine the nation's future policies regarding gay and transgender citizens.
