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U.S. NEWS A5
Tuesday 29 March 2016
Lawsuit challenges North Carolina anti-discrimination law
GARY D. ROBERTSON cluding Apple and Google, and gender identity at res- to require public school share bathrooms with peo-
Associated Press was signed by Republican taurants, hotels and stores. and university students to ple who make them feel
RALEIGH, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory last “By singling out LGBT peo- use only those bathrooms unsafe.
(AP) — Gay and transgen- week. ple for disfavored treat- that match their birth cer- Two transgender people, a
der rights supporters wast- The Republican-controlled ment and explicitly writ- tificates, according to the lesbian law professor and
ed little time in challenging legislature passed the law in ing discrimination against National Conference on several civil liberties groups
a new North Carolina law, response to a broad Char- transgender people into State Legislatures. sued.
filing a federal lawsuit Mon- lotte ordinance that al- state law, Advocates for gay, les- Lawsuit defendants include
day that called it discrimi- lowed transgender people (the new law) violates the bian, bisexual and trans- McCrory and the University
natory and said it singles to use the restroom aligned most basic guarantees of gender rights say state leg- of North Carolina system,
out LGBT people for “disfa- with their gender identity. equal treatment and the islators demonized them where one plaintiff works
vored treatment.” The new state law also pre- U.S. Constitution,” the law- with bogus claims about and another attends col-
The law, which has also vents all cities and counties suit said. bathroom risks. Supporters lege. The system’s 17 cam-
drawn strong opposition from extending protections With the law, North Caro- say the new law protects puses also must comply
from major corporations in- to cover sexual orientation lina became the first state all people from having to with the law.q
Georgia leader vetoes gay marriage religious exemptions bill
KATHLEEN FOODY people.”
He added, “I do not re-
Associated Press spond very well to insults
or to threats. The people of
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia’s Georgia deserve a leader
who will make sound judg-
governor on Monday ve- ments based on solid rea-
sons that are not inflamed
toed legislation allowing by emotion.”
Georgia’s General Assem-
clergy to refuse performing bly already has left the
Capitol for the year, ad-
gay marriages and pro- journing after midnight on
Thursday.
tecting people who refuse Lawmakers can ask the
governor to convene a
to attend the ceremonies, special session but need
a three-fifths majority in
after an outcry and threats both the House and Sen-
ate. If they can reach
of boycotts from some that threshold, overriding
a governor’s veto requires
large corporations and a two-thirds vote in each
chamber. Republicans
Hollywood stars. don’t hold that margin in
either the House or Senate,
Republican Nathan Deal and all Democrats voted
against the bill.
rejected the bill on Mon- National gay-rights organi-
zations immediately hailed
day, saying, “I do not think Deal’s decision.
“We thank Governor Deal
that we have to discrimi- for doing the right thing,”
said Matt McTighe, Free-
nate against anyone to dom for All Americans ex-
ecutive director. q
protect the faith-based
community in Georgia.”
Republican majorities
passed the bill to broadly
protect people acting
on their religious beliefs. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal speaks during a press conference to announce he has vetoed leg-
islation allowing clergy to refuse performing gay marriage and protecting people who refuse to
It would have protected attend the ceremonies Monday, March 28, 2016, in Atlanta. The Republican rejected the bill on
Monday, saying, “I do not think that we have to discriminate against anyone to protect the faith-
clergy who won’t perform based community in Georgia.”
gay marriages and people (AP Photo/David Goldman)
who won’t attend a wed-
ding for religious reasons.
Churches and affiliated and could trample local ball League, prominent Deal said his decision to
ordinances protecting les- Hollywood figures and film reject the bill was “about
religious groups also could bian, gay, bisexual and studios urging the gover- the character of our state
transgender people. nor to reject the proposal. and the character of our
have declined to serve or Coca-Cola and other big- Some threatened to boy- people. Georgia is a wel-
name Georgia companies cott the state if Deal didn’t coming state; it is full of
hire someone based on joined the National Foot- veto. loving, kind and generous
their faith.
The bill’s opponents said
it excused discrimination
Official: Amendment could cost Kansas City $50 million
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The proposed amendment pressed concerns that the rent debate on the amend- year, the city will host the
— Kansas City could lose would prohibit govern- amendment would not ment particularly troubling, Big 12 Men’s Basketball
more than $50 million a ment legal action against support the rights of all in- Nelson said. Championship, NCAA Divi-
year in economic activity businesses and profession- dividuals, regardless of their “Of all years for this to play sion I Women’s Volleyball,
connected to sports events als who refuse to provide sexual orientation, and said out, it’s playing out in a bid NCAA Division I Men’s and
if voters approve a consti- wedding-related services it could cost Missouri athlet- cycle,” Nelson said. “That’s Women’s Basketball Re-
tutional amendment that of “expressional or artis- ic events in the future, The a major cause for concern. gionals and numerous soc-
would allow some Missouri tic creation” to same-sex Kansas City Star reported This could impact events cer championships. It also
business owners to refuse couples. The measure has (http://bit.ly/1PBtaf0 ). held in our city for the next will also host the U.S. Figure
services for same-sex wed- passed the Missouri Sen- The NCAA currently is con- 10 years.” Skating Championships.
dings because of their re- ate and is pending in the sidering bids from cities for In 2013, the NCAA award- Those events are expect-
ligious beliefs, said Kathy House. events in all men’s and ed Kansas City 16 cham- ed to bring in $51.1 million
Nelson, president and CEO The NCAA, Big 12 Confer- women’s sports, in all di- pionships through the year in economic activity and
of the Kansas City Sports ence and Southeastern visions, through the year 2018, more than any other $3.1 million on state tax
Commission. Conference, have all ex- 2022. That makes the cur- city in the country. Next revenue.q
