Durham city council passes resolution opposing HB2

Andrea Blanford Image
Friday, April 8, 2016
Durham HB2 resolution
Durham city council members expressed concerns.

DURHAM (WTVD) -- The City of Durham joins a list of those opposed to House Bill 2.

In a unanimous vote Thursday, about two weeks after Gov. Pat McCrory signed HB2 into law, the city council passed a resolution that calls for its repeal.

House Bill 2, also known as The Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, was designed to block a Charlotte ordinance that would have allowed transgender people to use the public bathrooms of the gender they identify with.

Republican lawmakers and others opposed to the ordinance voiced concerns about the potential for sexual predators to take advantage of the policy that allows them access to women's restrooms.

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The new law also created statewide nondiscrimination protections that exclude LGBT people.

Durham city council members expressed concerns about businesses threatening to pull out of North Carolina in the wake of HB2.

"If companies want to make a statement that this kind of legislation is against their values, that's great," said Charlie Reece, at-large city council member. "We're doing the same thing today."

Durham's resolution also calls on local businesses to openly welcome LGBT people by providing gender nonspecific restrooms for their customers.

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