Pirate's Cove

There have been lots of trials and tribulations with the attempted repeal of HB2, the so-called bathroom bill, which was passed in response to the Charlotte city council passing a law requiring private businesses to allow men pretending to be women to enter the bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms of little girls. Democrats, including Rory Cooper, both before and after he was elected governor, have worked hard to spike an repeal. But, hey, that’s politics. Now

(WRAL) After more than an hour of impassioned, sometimes angry, debate over legislation that would repeal a controversial state law that limits LGBT rights and transgender bathroom access, the House approved the compromise measure Thursday by a 70-48 vote.

The Senate voted 32-16 in favor of the proposal earlier in the day, so it now heads to Gov. Roy Cooper, who supports the deal, for his signature.

It seems as if Governor Cooper will sign this bill. Many Democrats and Republicans were very much against it. But, what does it do?

Bathroom access: House Bill 2 requires all multiple-occupancy bathrooms, locker rooms and changing rooms overseen by state agencies, cities, counties and school districts be designated for use by a single gender based on what’s listed on a person’s birth certificate. House Bill 142 says only the General Assembly can establish access rules for public bathrooms.

Nondiscrimination ordinances: House Bill 2 established a statewide nondiscrimination policy for employment and public accommodations based on “race, religion, color, national origin, age, biological sex or handicap,” leaving out protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and it barred cities and counties from going beyond the state policy. House Bill 142 repeals the statewide policy and blocks all local nondiscrimination ordinances until Dec. 1, 2020, but places no restrictions on them after that date.

Local contracts: House Bill 2 prohibited local governments from setting rules for private contractors regarding minimum wage and worker benefits. As part of its repeal provision, House Bill 142 does away with this and doesn’t replace it.

Overall, it doesn’t look like HB142 changes much at all, other than the local contracts portion. It still blocks municipalities from requiring private entities to allow fake women to invade the private domains of real females. And, while it removes the part about using the bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms that conform to biological identity (you know, actual science), it does say that only the GA can establish policy, so, in the absence of guidance, government cannot force their weirdo policies on citizens.

Now, what the GA needs to do is pass a law that all NCAA games must have bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers that are mixed sex. And for all the companies that were caterwauling about HB2. Force them to practice what they preach.