North Carolina Governor Tweaks Bias Law After Backlash

After significant backlash from both activists and corporations, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory amended a state law that eliminated anti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender people.

"I will immediately seek legislation in the upcoming short sesssion to reinstate the right to sue for discrimination in North Carolina state courts," the governor said. "Simply put I have listened to the people of North Carolina. And the people of North Carolina are entitled to both privacy and equality."

The original law banned anti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender people, and limited bathroom access for transgender people by requiring them to use the the bathrooms corresponding only to the gender assigned to them at birth. Yet despite the governor's shift regarding the former, the latter, more controversial part of the law remains intact.

Since the law was passed, corporations have sought to leverage their economic influence to change the new policies. Both PayPal and Deutsche Bank have pulled plans for major expansions in the state. And Bruce Springsteen last week canceled a show in Greensboro, N.C., saying, "Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them."

The governor has continued to receive serious criticism for the law.

The Washington Post reports:

Roy Cooper, the North Carolina attorney general, and multiple LGBT groups criticized McCrory’s order as being a half-measure that left discrimination intact.

“Governor McCrory’s executive order is a day late and a veto short,” Cooper, a Democrat and McCrory’s gubernatorial opponent this fall, said in a statement. “The sweeping discrimination law he signed has already cost North Carolina hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in revenue. I’m glad Governor McCrory has finally acknowledged the great damage his legislation has done, but he needs to do much more.”

Watch the governor explain his executive order in his own words:

Read more at The Washington Post.