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NC's only openly gay lawmaker files bill to combat HB2

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s only openly gay lawmaker is not only working to repeal the state's House Bill 2 law, Rep. Chris Sgro unveiled his plans Wednesday to replace it.

"The compromise is to repeal House Bill 2 if we want to not lose billions of dollars in federal funding and stop hemorrhaging business," Sgro said.

He just filed House Bill 1078, also called the Equality for All Act.

If passed, it would outlaw discrimination against anyone when buying a home, getting a job, using a public restroom, earning an education and more, based on a person's race, religion, sex, gender identity or handicap.

One supporter of the new legislation is Hope Tyler, whose 15-year-old son is transgender.

"Preaching hate to our children is wrong," she said.

Gov. Pat McCrory has been defending House Bill 2 on national news programs and on Wednesday afternoon, while appearing on CNBC, he defended his lawsuit against the federal government.

"All we're trying to do now is get clarification from the federal courts," McCrory said. "Not just for the state of North Carolina. This applies to every business in the United States and every university in the United States of America."

Just hours before McCrory's CNBC appearance, Democratic state lawmakers said the governor is playing politics by appearing on national news.

"The taxpayers of North Carolina stand to lose too much money for the governor to simply be jet-setting around in campaign mode instead of fixing this mess, especially if the taxpayers are picking up the tab," state Sen. Floyd McKissick Jr. said.

Channel 9 confirmed taxpayers are paying for the governor's travels.

A spokesman for his office told Eyewitness News anchor Liz Foster it's official state business.

Channel 9 also reached out to several Republican leaders at the Statehouse for comment on the new equality bill. None answered our request by Channel 9's deadline.

Baltimore mayor bans travel to North Carolina, Mississippi

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has suspended all city-sponsored travel to North Carolina and Mississippi due to the states' new transgender laws.

Rawlings-Blake made the announcement Tuesday in a letter to city officials, saying she hopes the city's efforts combined with those of other governments and companies "will push North Carolina and Mississippi" to change.

The letter says cabinet members shouldn't make travel requests to the two states "until the situation changes."

The new law in North Carolina directs government agencies and publicly funded schools to designate bathrooms for people based on their genders at birth.

Mississippi passed a law, effective July 1, allowing workers to cite their own religious beliefs as a reason to deny service.

Rawlings-Blake says she won't authorize trips to the states while the laws exist.

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