Gov. McCrory Faces Deadline On Decision For HB2

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NC Gov. Pat McCrory has until 5pm to respond to the HB2 bill but has already filed a lawsuit asking for a declaratory judgment action from the federal court system to clarify federal law on the HB2 issue.

Defiance to the bill could risk funding for the state’s university and has already caused canellations in events that would bring money to the area. The 17-campus UNC system could rishk losing more than $1.4 billion in federal funds if they don’t comply. Another $800 million in federally backed loans for students who attend the public universities also would be at risk if it’s found that enforcing the law violates Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on sex. The letter to McCrory said the law also violates Title VII, which bars employment discrimination.

In McCroy’s lawsuit he states that: “The Obama administration is bypassing Congress by attempting to rewrite the law and set restroom policies for public and private employers across the country, not just North Carolina. This is now a national issue that applies to every state and it needs to be resolved at the federal level.”

McCrory’s stance on HB2:

McCrory has called the law a common-sense measure. He said it’s designed to protect the privacy of people who use bathrooms and locker rooms and to expect all people inside the facilities to be of the same gender. McCrory said Sunday he was not aware of any North Carolina cases of transgender people using their gender identity to access a restroom and molest someone, a fear frequently cited by the law’s supporters as the main reason for its passage.

North Carolina has already paid a price for the law, with some business scaling back investments in the state and associations cancelling conventions.