Pirate's Cove

This is actually a good idea

(WTVD) Twenty-four hours after raucous protests for and against HB2 consumed the General Assembly, Sen. Tom Apodaca’s comments signify, perhaps, the biggest crack yet in the united front from Republican lawmakers, who want to leave the law alone.

“If it was up to me, I’d just put it out to a vote of the people, let them decide what they want to do,” Apodaca said.

Apodaca, a Republican from Hendersonville and the No. 2 Republican in the state Senate, who voted for HB2, is pushing to let North Carolina voters decide whether or not to repeal the law. He wants a referendum on the November ballot.

“You know, let’s put it on the ballot and get it over with once and for all,” Apodaca said.

Crack? Or simply a way of letting the people decide directly? Of course, leftists are against letting the Citizens vote

Greensboro State Rep. Chris Sgro insists the law, which blocks state protections for the LGBT community and takes away people’s right to sue in state court over workplace discrimination, is a complete disaster. His solution is repeal not a referendum.

“(Republicans) understand the problem; they have the wrong solution,” Sgro said. “The only solution is the full repeal of House Bill 2. A bad bill needs to be repealed.”

Here’s my thought: remove the section on suing in state court. Repeal it. Add in a provision giving protections to LGBT folks (even though they are technically protected from discrimination per state and federal law). Make it very, very precise to avoid the casual, ginned up, and manufactured suits. Allow state, local, and county governments to have separate bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers for the tiny, tiny, tiny segment that thinks they are transgender. Otherwise, keep the rest of the ban intact, with still providing no penalties for TG folks. Because this is mostly about stopping government tyranny, not punishing citizens.

When it comes to the state primacy portion, keep it. It simply reiterated and reinforced what has been law. Liberals cannot complain about this (though they will), since this was their position when it came to Arizona’s SB1070 illegal immigration law, along with other illegal alien laws, and on gay marriage. However, create a mechanism where a city and county can petition for the ability to have something slightly different from state law, in order to deal with certain conditions.

100% keep the provision that allows businesses to make their own decision. This is really what HB2 was about, and they could have just left it at that. The Charlotte ordinance would have forced the private sector to comply in allowing TG folks to use whatever bathroom, locker room, and shower, among others, that they felt like, under penalty of law. Of course, we know liberals do not like “choice” in this, either, bless their authoritative hearts.

That said, put the whole thing up for a vote, see how it goes. If it loses, simply pass another law that focuses solely on the private sector, allowing them the choice.