Column: A new bill, same issues

This week, two N.C. General Assembly Republicans came together with two Democrats to sponsor a bill that “repeals” the controversial House Bill 2.

I could go on and on about what is wrong with HB2 and the negative impact that it’s had on our state.

To start, the bill stripped protections for our state’s LGBTQ population and increased the possibility of violence against them.

Second, it stripped local governments of the ability to enact anti-discriminatory policies.

Lastly, it has caused many companies to cancel expansions in the state. This would have brought many needed jobs to the state, which still boasts a 5.1 unemployment rate, slightly higher than the national average of 4.7.

The NBA’s famed annual All-Star Weekend, a major revenue source, was pulled from its planned location of Charlotte after the bill was passed. The city of Charlotte estimated that the weekend would bring more than $100 million in revenue to the city. In 2014, New Orleans, who replaced Charlotte for the weekend’s 2017 location, generated $106 million in revenue.

Most recently, the NCAA has threatened to block all championships from being held in the state through 2022 unless the bill is repealed.

This comes after the NCAA pulled all championships from the state through the current year.

HB2’s replacement bill, House Bill 186, attempts to fix the harm caused. House Republican Chuck McGrady, one of the co-sponsors, described the bill as “sort of a bipartisan path forward to deal with an issue that is very complex and needs to be resolved.”

On the surface, it appears to resolve some of the issues at hand. Its actual impact, however, not only falls flat, but it actually makes things much worse.

Under House Bill 186, lawmakers still have control of policy related to the use of multi-stall public bathrooms; the bill only allows for cities to regulate single-occupancy public bathrooms. Local governments can enact anti-discriminatory policies, but only after a four-month process. In addition, if opponents of the policy gain enough signatures of registered voters, the policy can move to a referendum.

The new bill would also increase punishments for crimes that occur in public restrooms or locker rooms. I see this as an appeasement of HB2 supporters who saw the bill as a means of protecting citizens from sexual assault.

All in all, House Bill 186 appears to solve some of the problems with HB2, but the bill does nothing but make things worse and do more harm for the state and its citizens.

At this point, it is abundantly clear that replacement bills and partial repeals will not suffice.

The only thing left for the North Carolina legislature to do is enact a full and total repeal of HB2. Only then can we move forward as a state.