House Bill 2 has been temporarily  repealed on Thursday to an array of mixed public feelings. HB2 established a multitude of statutes from not punishing racial, religious, disability, sexual, and gender discrimination in the workplace to child welfare requirements and minimum wage. However, HB2  is most known for its ruling on  state-designated bathrooms, for it denies students the right to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity. For example, to use the girl’s bathroom, a student must be assigned female at birth regardless of how they present or identify.

House Bill 142 nullifies that by stating only the North Carolina General Assembly has jurisdiction over the access “to multiple-occupancy bathrooms, locker rooms, and changing facilities”.

The speed of the bill passing was mainly due to the NCAA deadline determining locations for championship events to take place between 2018-2022. It was estimated that if HB2 had remained in effect, it would have cost North Carolina nearly $3.5 billion  in the coming years due to all the lost revenue it could gain from businesses and organizations that were boycotting the state.

House Bill 142 was passed as a hurried compromise because it is not a true repeal. HB142 only issues a statewide block on all nondiscrimination ordinances for three years. After Dec. 1, 2020, the bill will expire and revert back to local government law. This is truly a Larry David Compromise. LGBTQA activists have criticized HB142, urging people not to settle for this temporary reprieve. On the other end of the spectrum, those who supported HB2 claimed that North Carolina was just selling out and also denounced the bill.

Come back in 2020 for updates on HB2!