Sep 29, 2015
Senate Bill 279 Passes Without Local Attacks, Equality NC Responds
The Proposed Changes to SB279 Would Have Stripped North Carolina Municipalities from Protecting LGBT Citizens
MEDIA CONTACT: Jonah Hermann, Equality NC, (920) 860-1416 -or- jonah@equalitync.org
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Equality NC, the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, responded today to the passage Senate Bill 279. SB279 still weakens the Healthy Youth Act, a bill that Equality NC championed. However, late additions to the legislation would have have also prohibited cities and counties from passing local ordinances in cases of housing and public accommodations.
Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality NC, immediately applauded the news, saying “Equality NC is excited that, although SB279 passed, it will not strip the rights of North Carolina’s municipal governments. Last night, legislators made a last ditch effort to attack the LGBT community by adding language to the Healthy Youth Act that would greatly impact gay and transgender North Carolinians.”
Today, Equality NC has been urging its members to contact their legislators to ask them to oppose SB 279.
Sgro added, “I’m so proud of the work we have done to make our voices heard in opposition to the proposed changes to SB 279. Fair minded North Carolinians sprung into action today and were integral in defeating SB 279. Thanks to the messages from countless gay, transgender, and allied residents of the Tar Heel State, our cities and counties can continue to move forward with adding vital protections for LGBT citizens. Equality NC thanks representatives from both parties who listened to these messages and spoke out against the bad policy and process surrounding SB 279.”
Equality NC remains focused on passing protections for LGBT North Carolinians at the state and local levels.
ABOUT EQUALITY NC: Equality NC is a statewide organization working to secure equal rights and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender North Carolinians. For more information, please visit www.equalitync.org