North Carolina speaker: On LGBT, Charlotte must repeal first

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Chances appear to be dwindling that North Carolina lawmakers will alter a contentious, new state law limiting LGBT nondiscrimination protections, because a legislative leader says they won’t act until Charlotte first throws out its local ordinance increasing those protections.

House Speaker Tim Moore says he and other Republican legislators want Charlotte to act before any conversations are held on rewriting House Bill 2. Among other things, the state law says transgender people must use public restrooms and locker rooms aligned with their biological sex.

But the city council refused Monday to hold a vote later this week to consider removing the now-nullified city ordinance.

Gay rights groups say legislative leaders and Gov. Pat McCrory should be acting to repeal the state law because it’s caused all the unwanted national attention.

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