The cost of North Carolina’s bathroom bill has gone up 42% in the last 4 months
The cost of HB2 has rocketed 42% since September, as the new Governor, Roy Cooper, battles to try and repeal the legislation.
PinkNews reported in September that the bill had, up until that point, cost a hefty $395 million, but that figure has since jumped up to $562 million, according to Truth Out.
The sum is made up of musician boycotts, companies pulling business out of the state, sporting events moving elsewhere, cancelled conventions and the legal costs of creating and defending the anti-LGBT bill.
The HB2 law states that you must use the bathroom according to what gender is listed on your birth certificate, despite your current gender identity.
Fleeing companies has had the biggest impact on the state, losing an estimated $297.4 million.
Paypal set off the chain of businesses relocating away from the state. The loss of the money giant was estimated at $20.4 million as 400 people would have been employed.
The biggest hit was the loss of the real estate research business CoStar which decided to move to Richmond, Virginia because of HB2. The company was anticipated to create 732 new jobs which would have had an economic impact of $250 million.
$245.6 million was lost on sporting events as big name games such as the NBA and NCAA pulled out of holding games in N.C.
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association announced in August that it would relocate 10 championships; its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments alone earned Charlotte $55.6 million in 2015.
Cancellation of conventions cost $18.4 million with at least 13 conventions due to be held in Charlotte were cancelled by early April.
$208,000 was lost on major performance pull outs from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Maroon 5, Nick Jonas and Ringo Starr.
Vendors such as the Greensboro Coliseum say they have lost the amount because of HB2, although the exact defined number cannot be calculated.
The total legal costs now come to $267,500 as the government fights of legal cases left right and centre that attempt to challenge HB2.
As of July, the state had already spent $176,000 on court costs, and former Gov Pat McCrory (R) spent $7,500 of government funds on travel to defend the law on television. The bill was created in a “special session” that cost taxpayers $42,000.
The Federal Government is currently suing North Carolina over HB2, but a countersuit launched by the state was dropped earlier this year.
