The North Carolina House passed House Bill 2 on Wednesday to repeal portions of Charlotte’s non-discrimination ordinance passed last month and prohibit any city from attempting something similar.
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Though the original Charlotte, N.C., ordinance outlined how businesses must treat gay, lesbian and transgender customers, the portion that garnered the most attention was one allowing people to choose public restrooms corresponding with their gender identity. But with the bill’s passage (Gov. Pat McCrory signed it Wednesday night), private businesses anywhere in the state can refuse to serve gay customers, who now have no legal protections.
The NBA, known for being proactive when it comes to anti-gay behavior (see: Rajon Rondo), now has a decision to make regarding its annual All-Star showcase.
“The NBA is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for all who attend our games and events,” the league said in statement. “We are deeply concerned that this discriminatory law runs counter to our guiding principles of equality and mutual respect and do not yet know what impact it will have on our ability to successfully host the 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte.”
According to The Charlotte Observer, critics of the new “bathroom bill” consider it perhaps the most “anti-LGBT legislation” in the nation.
“Discrimination is wrong, period,” North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, McCrory’s opponent in the state’s November gubernatorial race, said. “That North Carolina is making discrimination part of the law is shameful. It will not only cause real harm to families, but to our economy as well.”
A precedent has been set for the NBA.
Just last year, the NCAA threatened to move the Final Four and future events out of Indianapolis after the state of Indiana passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which allowed businesses in the state to discriminate against LGBT people.
Pressure from NCAA president Mark Emmert and heavy media scrutiny coerced the state into changing the law the following week.
