North Carolina Governor-elect Roy
Cooper said Monday that Republican leaders had called a special
session to repeal House Bill 2.
The announcement comes after the
Charlotte City Council voted on Monday to repeal its LGBT-inclusive
non-discrimination ordinance. The ordinance will stand if lawmakers
do not repeal HB 2 by the end of the year.
North Carolina's law blocks Charlotte
and other cities from enacting LGBT protections. It also prohibits
transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice.
Republicans swiftly approved House Bill 2 in response to Charlotte's
ordinance.
“Senate Leader Phil Berger and House
Speaker Tim Moore assured me that as a result of Charlotte's vote, a
special session will be called for Tuesday to repeal HB2 in full,”
Cooper said in a tweet. “I hope they will keep their word to me
and with the help of Democrats in the legislature, HB2 will be
repealed in full.”
“Full repeal will help to bring jobs,
sports and entertainment events back and will provide the opportunity
for strong LGBT protections in our state,” he added.
Outgoing Republican Governor Pat
McCrory's office called the events politically motivated.
“This sudden reversal with little
notice after the gubernatorial election sadly proves this entire
issue originated by the political left was all about politics and
winning the governor's race at the expense of Charlotte and our
entire state,” said the governor's press secretary in
a statement.