Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts was
cheered Monday when she rejected a GOP “compromise” to repeal
North Carolina's House Bill 2.
Governor Pat McCrory and GOP leaders
offered last week to consider repeal of the law if Charlotte ditched
its LGBT protections ordinance.
Republicans called a one-day special
session in March to approve House Bill 2 after the Charlotte City
Council approved its ordinance, which prohibits discrimination
against the LGBT community. House Bill 2 blocks cities and
municipalities from approving such measures. It is also the only
state law in the country that prohibits transgender people from using
the bathroom of their choice in schools and government buildings.
Roberts announced at a news conference
that there would be no deal, saying that repeal was up to state
lawmakers.
She was applauded Monday night when she
announced that the city council would not consider repeal at its
meeting.
“We are not going to consider repeal
of the Charlotte ordinance on non-discrimination at this evening's
meeting,” she said at the meeting.
An Elon University Poll released Monday
found that nearly 50 percent of respondents oppose HB2, while almost
40 percent support it, and close to 60 percent said that the law has
damaged the state's reputation.