ACLU sues North Carolina over modified ‘bathroom bill’

The ACLU on Friday filed suit against North Carolina’s so-called “bathroom bill,” claiming the compromise legislation adopted earlier this year still infringes on transgender rights. The bill, approved by Republicans and Democrats in March, removed a previous requirement that people use restrooms in public buildings based on their biological sex, not their gender identity. But ACLU lawyers accuse Republican lawmakers of creating confusion by suggesting possible prosecution for people who enter multi-user restrooms that don’t correspond to their birth sex. The lawsuit argues North Carolina’s new law violates constitutional due process and equal protection rights, as well as federal laws against discrimination in workplaces and schools. The law prevents local jurisdictions from adopting ordinances governing restroom use, reserving that right for the state legislature until at least 2020. “The law offers no guidance to anyone except by implication and makes it impossible for a reasonable person who is transgender to know which restroom they can legally use,” the lawsuit says. Despite the ACLU’s claims, the compromise measure satisfied sports leagues and businesses that broke ties with the state over the previous law.