© 2024 WFAE
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Charlotte Council Removes HB 2 From Agenda

The economic impact of HB 2 was put on tonight's city council agenda early this afternoon. The topic was taken off the agenda about four hours later. The city issued the following statement at about 4:40 p.m.

The HB2 item on the Charlotte City Council agenda for Monday, May 23, 2016 has been removed from the agenda.  There will be no action item on HB2 tonight.  The Mayor and City Council will continue to work with the General Assembly and with business and community leaders to address the continuing negative impacts of HB2 on the City of Charlotte and North Carolina. Charlotte remains committed to being a welcoming and inclusive community that is free of discrimination. Economic impact information will be shared with council in writing and provided to the media."

No reason was given for the change. Having HB 2 on the agenda would have opened the door for a symbolic repeal of the ordinance, something Charlotte Chamber of Commerce President Bob Morgan advocated for over the weekend.

Morgan wrote in the Charlotte Observer that a repeal would demonstrate "our city and legislature can be responsive to each other. Doing so will result in our city being engaged in advancing corrective legislation – not backing off its core and appropriate beliefs."

That stance has been the target of harsh criticism.

Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said Morgan appears to be "carrying the message" of Governor McCrory that Charlotte needs to repeal its ordinance.

“You really have to ask the question – who does Bob Morgan represent? Because the job creators in the state of North Carolina have made one call: Repeal HB  2. I have not seen one of these companies stand up and call for the repeal of Charlotte's non-discrimination ordinance, nor would I expect them to do so," Griffin said.