North Carolina rolls back 'bathroom bill' despite criticism
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina rolled back its "bathroom bill" Thursday in a bid to end the yearlong backlash over transgender rights that has cost the state dearly in business projects, conventions and basketball tournaments.
The compromise plan , announced Wednesday night by the Democratic governor and leaders of the Republican-controlled legislature, was worked out under mounting pressure from the NCAA, which threatened to take away more sporting events from the basketball-obsessed state as long as the law, also known as House Bill 2, remained on the books.
The American Civil Liberties Union and gay rights activists complained that the new law still denies gay and transgender people certain protections from discrimination, and they demanded nothing less than full repeal.
At worst it is a betrayal of principle, Republican Sen. Dan Bishop, a primary sponsor of HB2, said on the Senate floor as the rollback was approved 32-16 , with nine of 15 Democrats among the yes votes.
While the new measure eliminates the rule on transgender bathroom use, it also makes clear that state legislators — not local government or school officials — are in charge of policy on public restrooms.
During impassioned debate on the House floor, conservatives accused their colleagues of caving in to pressure from college basketball.
[...] GOP Rep. Carl Ford said: If we could have props in here, I'd take a basketball covered in money and roll it down the middle aisle there.
Because that's what this is about: money and basketball.