Kennedy grandson urges NCAA to keep avoiding holding events in North Carolina
The last remaining Kennedy in Congress, Joe Kennedy, has urged the NCAA to keep avoiding North Carolina to host its athletics events.
US Representative Joseph Kennedy III of Massachusetts on Monday spoke out to say a ‘deal’ to repeal the state’s HB2 bathroom bill didn’t go far enough to correct civil rights violations for trans people.
He says he has written to the NCAA to encourage the body to keep a promise to avoid North Carolina with athletics events up to 2022.
The advocate for LGBT rights is the grandson of Robert F Kennedy.
The state last week voted to repeal the HB2 bathroom law – but has also banned local authorities from outlawing LGBT discrimination.
LGBT activists have condemned the legislation, which stops local authorities from passing anti-LGBT-discrimination laws until December 2020. Activists and campaign groups have also criticised the “deal” to repeal the bill, saying it doesn’t go far enough and only a full repeal will be enough.
HB2, which came into force a year ago, forced people to use the bathroom of the gender they were assigned at birth.
It was one of the most controversial state laws in recent times and led to many boycotts from companies, music stars and sports organisations.
An Associated Press investigation showed the state was set to lose more than $3.76 billion over the next 12 years because of the law.
Hours before the state was would have lost the possibility of hosting prestigious national college basketball matches, Republican lawmakers and Democratic Governor Roy Cooper announced a deal.
The North Carolina Senate voted 32-16 to pass the bill, and the House voted it through by 70 to 48.
Governor Roy Cooper has already signed the bill.
Officially called House Bill 142, the act will also prohibit local authorities from regulating multi-occupancy toilets, showers or changing facilities, leaving it up to the state.
Officials from the NCAA already warned that the state could lose its opportunity to host championship games over HB2, which targets trans people.
But the state could now lose 133 championship-level events its institutions are currently bidding for over a period of six years.
It is unclear what the NCAA’s decision will be following the passing of HB 142.
