No need for special legislative session
Published March 7, 2016
Editorial by Rocky Mount Telegram, March 6, 2016.
State lawmakers last week ratcheted up their talk of convening in special session to block a new anti-discrimination ordinance adopted by the Charlotte City Council.
The ordinance adds sexual orientation, gender identity and marital status as attributes protected from discrimination in public accommodations. But many Republican lawmakers object to the ordinance because it could allow transgender people to use public restrooms of their gender identity.
N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, said he has received requests from more than three-fifths of House members to reconvene before the next session’s start on April 25 to block the ordinance that he declared “poses an imminent threat to public safety.” The Charlotte ordinance goes into effect April 1.
N.C. Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said convening a special session to block the ordinance remains an option. But Gov. Pat McCrory, who also opposes the measure, said he’d prefer lawmakers wait until their regular session to take up the matter.
Republican lawmakers should listen to their governor for a change.
Hundreds of towns and cities across the country have adopted similar ordinances – including Columbia, S.C. – without any incidents of sexual predators taking advantage of them to approach children in restrooms, as GOP lawmakers warn will happen.
The Charlotte ordinance hardly constitutes an “imminent threat.” There’s no need for lawmakers to ask taxpayers to pay $42,000 a day for an unnecessary special session. This can wait until April 25.
