NC Republicans propose new ‘bathroom bill’

CHARLOTTE — State Republicans have introduced Senate Bill 516, known as the ‘Women’s Safety and Protection Act,’ which aims to restrict transgender individuals from using public restrooms that do not correspond to their biological sex.

The bill mandates that bathrooms in public schools and other facilities be designated for use by one biological sex at a time. It also seeks to prevent transgender individuals from changing the gender on their birth certificates and requires driver’s licenses to reflect a person’s sex at birth.

One year later, lawmakers still divided over HB2

Senate Bill 516 is reminiscent of the controversial ‘bathroom bill,’ also known as HB2, that became law in North Carolina nine years ago, which similarly restricted restroom access based on biological sex.

This bill does not affect private entities, and it does not affect employment.

HB 2, which was repealed a year later, led to billions of dollars in lost economic investment in North Carolina, according to an Associated Press analysis of state financial records at the time.

VIDEO: AP Exclusive: ‘Bathroom bill’ to cost North Carolina $3.76B

AP Exclusive: 'Bathroom bill' to cost North Carolina $3.76B Despite Republican assurances that North Carolina's "bathroom bill" isn't hurting the economy, the law limiting LGBT protections will cost the state more than $3.76 billion in lost business over a dozen years, according to an Associated Press analysis.