North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory let a bill become law yesterday that shifts money dedicated to the state’s disaster relief fund to the legal defense of the state’s discriminatory new law HB2, which has been challenged in federal court by opponents who seek “a preliminary injunction blocking parts of the law that limits protections for LGBT people.”
HB2 has become a cause for Religious Right activists nationwide, who are determined to see other states approve laws rolling back LGBT rights.
The News & Observer reports that McCrory let a bill moving disaster aid into HB2’s defense fund become law without his signature:
One provision moved $500,000 from the state’s Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund for the current fiscal year into a fund controlled by the governor to be used for costs arising from litigation over HB2. Democrats criticized the provision earlier this year, saying the money will be needed for hurricane relief.
HB2 prevented local governments from expanding anti-discrimination protections to transgender people. McCrory and legislative leaders said it was necessary to preserve privacy and provide safety to women and children using government restrooms.
McCrory had until a minute before midnight Saturday to sign the remaining bills on his desk, or they would become law without his signature. There were 10 such bills at the end of last week, according to the state legislature website.
