On Tuesday, Dec. 1, a key prong of House Bill 142 (HB142) reached sunset, ending a years-long moratorium that blocked cities and towns in our state from protecting their LGBTQ residents through local non-discrimination ordinances.
For those who don't know, HB142 passed in 2017 and replaced sections of HB2, the infamous anti-transgender bill passed by the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) in 2016. HB142 reaffirmed many of the anti-LGBTQ elements of HB2, including blocking local cities and towns in North Carolina from protecting their residents with LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination ordinances.
LGBTQ folks across North Carolina who lived here in 2016 and 2017 undoubtedly remember House Bills 2 (HB2) and 142 all too well. Many people tend to focus on the economic impact of the fallout: companies pulled their businesses from our state. Sports teams refused to hold high-profile tournaments. Some estimates bring the gross economic toll to over $3 billion in lost revenue for the state of North Carolina.
