According to late news reports on WRAL-TV there is an agreement between legislators and Governor Roy Cooper to repeal the controversial H.B.2 legislation tonight. The measure will be in a NC Senate committee in the morning, followed by two votes in the Senate; then a transfer to the House and a final vote.
This in in response to NCAA’s promise to not allow any end-of-season tournaments in NC if HB2 is still on the books this weekend when NCAA begins selecting sites for 2018 and later. The Associated Press recently estimated that the cost to NC is on the order of 3.7 billion dollars of the next few years if H.B.2 remains in effect.
Apparently, real economic loss can make the GOP controlled legislature re-think it “moral” position on discrimination.
It is noted that the deal depends on vote margins in the Senate, which has shot down other attempts in recent months. Also, a supposed deal announced earlier this morning dissapeared within minutes of being announced.
Republican opposition centers on privacy protections in bathroom use and the ability of cities and towns to pass their own anti-discrimination laws.