North Carolina Senate President Pro Tem
Phil Berger has defended a state law that targets the LGBT community.
In a letter to CEOs who have spoken out
against House Bill 2, Berger reiterated his support for the
controversial law that has provoked an economic and political
backlash.
“Make no mistake: I supported, and
continue to support, the legislation many refer to as 'the bathroom
bill' or House Bill 2,” Berger wrote. “I support this law
because I think it provides common sense protections for North
Carolinians.”
House Bill 2 was a knee jerk reaction
to passage of an LGBT protections bill in Charlotte. Lawmakers
approved and Republican Governor Pat McCrory signed the bill during a
one-day special session. It repealed Charlotte's ordinance and
blocked other cities from enacting similar measures. It also bars
transgender people in government buildings – including students –
from using the bathroom that does not conform to their gender at
birth.
Berger goes on to explain why he
believes Charlotte's law was “problematic”
“Charlotte exceeded its
constitutional authority by creating a separate public accommodations
law that was at odds with existing statewide criminal law” and
“raised serious safety concerns by requiring businesses to allow
men and women to use the restroom or locker room they subjectively
deem most consistent with their 'gender identity,'” Berger wrote.
Chad Griffin, president of the Human
Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBT rights advocate,
said in a blog post on the group's website that Berger is
“desperately digging in even further” by “defending the
indefensible.”
“Senator Berger is defending the
indefensible. He knows HB2 is an unmitigated disaster that strikes at
the basic rights and dignity of North Carolinians. In the face of so
many business voices denouncing the bill and calling for its full
repeal, Senator Berger is desperately digging in even further. He is
lying about local laws and recycling dangerous myths about
transgender people that have been soundly rejected by both the
business community and fair-minded North Carolinians,” Griffin
wrote.
Meanwhile, a bill introduced last week
by Democrats that would repeal House Bill 2 has been refereed by
Republicans to a committee that does not meet.