Special Session Set to Undo Charlotte LGBT Protections

The North Carolina General Assembly will hold a special session tomorrow, looking to overturn parts of Charlotte's non-discrimination ordinance.
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CHARLOTTE, NC —Β A city ordinance offering protections to Charlotte’s LGBT citizens may never go into effect. The North Carolina General Assembly will hold a special session tomorrow, looking to overturn parts of Charlotte’s non-discrimination ordinance; deepening the divide between city and state.

“It’s become a free for all in the sense that now there are no rules about who can go to which bathrooms,” says Republican state Senator Jeff Tarte representing Mecklenburg County. “There’s issues around privacy.”

“We’re being made to look like the bad guys,” says Democratic Charlotte City Council member Julie Eiselt. “And then they’re jumping in and saying we don’t know how to pass ordinances for the good of our own community.”

He said. She said. Or in this case, state says; city says.

Wednesday morning the General Assembly will convene a special session, called by republican leadership, with the intent of undoing an addition to Charlotte’s non-discrimination ordinance. That addition, passed 7-4 in a city council vote, would let transgender residents use the bathroom of their choice as of April 1st.

“If you allow it to become law, and it’s in effect for a while, you’ve in a sense by de facto granted that authority,” says Senator Tarte. “And what we’re saying is, no you never had that authority and we’re not going to give it to you even for a short minute.”

Opponents of the ordinance say it will create a public safety concern.

City leaders argue that this is city business, and the state should stay out of it.

“I think if every one of those representative and senators went back to their constituents and say, ‘What do you consider to be a crisis in this state?’ I don’t think this is what would rise to the top,” says Eiselt.

But the bill that will be presented to the special session in Raleigh may directly contradict the Charlotte LGBT bathroom protections.

The proposed bill could also give the General Assembly the power to control the minimum wage across the state, taking another economic tool away from the city.

WCCB Charlotte will be in Raleigh for tomorrow’s special session. Make sure to tune in to WCCB News at Ten for a complete breakdown.