North Carolina repeals HB2 ‘bathroom bill’

Legislators in the North Carolina House passed a compromise bill Thursday that sought to repeal HB2, which forbade local anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people and required people in government facilities to use bathrooms that match the gender on their birth certificates.

The repeal of the year-old bill had passed the state Senate earlier Thursday by a 32-16 vote, though legislators had expected a tougher fight in the House. The House passed it 70-48.

Gov. Roy Cooper signed the measure into law.

The compromise bill, though it repealed the controversial "bathroom bill," still contains provisions that limited when city and county anti-discrimination ordinances can be established again.

There are three provisions in the new bill: Repeal of HB2, leaving regulation of multiple occupancy restrooms, showers or changing facilities to the state, and a moratorium on local ordinances regulating public accommodations or private employment practices until Dec. 1, 2020.

The compromise was reached Wednesday night and released overnight, with the blessings of Democrat Gov. Cooper, and Republicans Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore.

Includes information from the News & Observer.

This story was originally published March 30, 2017 at 10:34 AM with the headline "North Carolina repeals HB2 ‘bathroom bill’."