Gov. Jay Inslee today lifted his prohibition on publicly funded non-essential travel to North Carolina that applied to many state employees.
In 2016, following Charlotte, North Carolina’s passage of an anti-discrimination ordinance that allowed transgender individuals to use gender-specific facilities consistent with their gender identity, the state of North Carolina passed H.B. 2, which revoked these civil rights protections. It preempted nondiscrimination ordinances passed by local governments, clarified that sexual orientation and identity are not protected classes, and allowed discrimination against individuals, including Washingtonians traveling to North Carolina for work-related purposes.
In response to this attack on the civil rights of transgender individuals, Inslee implemented a prohibition on publicly funded non-essential travel to North Carolina for many state employees.
Subsequent legislation preempted local governments from enacting rules on bathrooms, showers and changing rooms, and prohibited governments from enacting ordinances protecting the LGBT community in private employment practices or public accommodations until December 2020. Following the expiration of this preemption, many local ordinances have implemented pro-LGBT protections.
For that reason, Inslee today lifted the April 13, 2017, travel advisory.
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