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Tuesday 3 January 2017 BUSINESS
                                     A24

               In red states, businesses gearing up to fight bathroom bills



            JONATHAN MATTISE                                                                       increase in statehouse pro-  Now,  as  lawmakers  begin
             Associated Press                                                                      posals limiting LGBT protec-  their work this winter, some
            NASHVILLE,  Tenn.  (AP)  —                                                             tions in 2017.              Republicans  are  heeding
            Sean  Henry,  the  president                                                           Frank  Cannon,  president  business  groups’  warnings
            of  Tennessee’s  NHL  team,                                                            of the socially conservative  to  steer  clear  of  the  laws,
            is  stunned  he  even  has  to                                                         American  Principles  Proj-  even  in  some  of  Trump’s
            explain why he hopes state                                                             ect,  encouraged  Republi-  more favorable turf.
            legislators  will  snub  bills                                                         cans to push back against  Kentucky  looks  on  paper
            similar  to  North  Carolina’s                                                         those  trying  to  cast  North  like  a  state  likely  to  em-
            transgender      bathroom                                                              Carolina’s  bathroom  bill  brace  a  law  like  North
            law,  which  has  consumed                                                             as  a  financial  liability.  He  Carolina’s:  the  GOP  won
            that  state  for  months  and                                                          pointed  to  a  GOP  wave  control  of  both  legislative
            scared     off   businesses                                                            led by President-elect Don-  chambers in November for
            and sporting events.                                                                   ald Trump as proof that the  the  first  time  in  a  century,
            The   Nashville   Predators                                                            public still embraces social  and Republican Gov. Matt
            team  is  among  about  300                                                            conservatism.               Bevin  joined  a  lawsuit  this
            companies,  ranging  from                                                              “Republicans  must  keep  year challenging the feder-
            health-care  giant  HCA  to   - In this March 24, 2016, file photo, people protest outside the   fighting because, while the  al  government’s  directive
                                          North Carolina Executive Mansion in Raleigh, N.C. Tennessee
            FedEx,  joining  under  the   businesses have banded together to try to convince their state   left was able to successfully  that  public  schools  allow
            moniker  Tennessee  Thrives   legislators  to  snub  laws  similar  to  the  infamous  bathroom  bill   define HB2 as an econom-  students  to  use  the  bath-
            to  oppose  bathroom  and     in North Carolina, which has consumed that state’s politics for  ic issue and convince elite  room of their gender iden-
            religious   objection   bills,   months and scared off businesses and sporting events.   corporations  and  celebri-  tity.  Yet  Bevin,  a  staunch
            which  they  consider  dis-                                           Associated Press  ties  to  punish  the  state  of  social  conservative,  has
            criminatory  and  bad  for  crimination  groups,”  Henry  ligious objections to same-  North Carolina for protect-  dismissed  calls  for  a  bath-
            business.   Companies    in  said. “I think the real ques-  sex unions.                ing  the  privacy  of  young  room bill.
            other GOP-led states have  tion is: who hasn’t joined?”   Social  progressives  hoping  girls, their overreach clearly  “Why  would  we?”  he
            had success voicing oppo-    After  the  United  States  Su-  to hold back that tide ap-  backfired in the presidential  said.  “Is  there  anyone  you
            sition  under  similar  names:  preme   Court   legalized  pealed  to  citizens’  sense  race in a big way,” he said.  know in Kentucky who has
            Georgia  Prospers,  Oppor-   same-sex marriage in 2015,  of  equality  and  people’s  North  Carolina’s  law  omits  trouble  going  to  the  bath-
            tunity West Virginia, Missouri  social conservatives turned  pocketbooks.              LGBT people from state an-  room?  The  last  thing  we
            Competes.                    to  statehouses,  seeking  Despite  the  political  and  ti-discrimination protections  need  is  more  government
            “I  honestly  cannot  believe  state laws to let businesses,  economic   repercussions  and  orders  transgender  rules. I’m cutting red tape,
            that  in  2016  I’m  actually  pastors  and  government  that  erupted  in  North  Car-  people  to  use  bathrooms  not creating it.”
            asked a question as to why  refuse  services  to  LGBT  olina,  the  American  Civil  in schools and government  This spring, Georgia’s legis-
            I  would  support  anti-dis-  people  based  on  their  re-  Liberties  Union  expects  an  buildings that align with the  lature  passed  a  bill  aimed
                                                                                                   sex on their birth certificate.  at  shielding  religious  peo-
                                                                                                   Businesses,   conventions  ple who deny services be-
                                                                                                   and  sports  events  have  cause  of  a  moral  objec-
                                                                                                   avoided  North  Carolina  in  tion.  Within  days,  Coca-
                                                                                                   protest,  and  Republican  Cola  and  other  big-name
                                                                                                   Gov.  Pat  McCrory  lost  his  Georgia companies joined
                                                                                                   re-election  under  heavy  prominent  Hollywood  fig-
                                                                                                   criticism for signing the law.  ures calling for a veto.
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