WASHINGTON 鈥斅燭he District has become the latest in a series of cities and states to ban official travel to North Carolina in the wake of that state鈥檚 new law regarding gay, lesbian and transgender residents.
Mayor Muriel Bowser on Friday signed an order reading that 鈥渘o officer or employee of the District of Columbia is authorized to approve any official travel to North Carolina.鈥�
The Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act prohibits North Carolina cities and towns from writing and passing their own laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity within their jurisdictions, and reverses a Charlotte ordinance that had been in place.聽It also requires people to use public bathrooms that are assigned to the gender listed on their birth certificate.
The law also聽bans cities and towns from passing their own minimum wages higher than North Carolina鈥檚 $7.25 per hour.
Bowser鈥檚 order says that 鈥渆nsuring individuals are free from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is a compelling government interest,鈥� and that official travel to North Carolina is banned until the law 鈥渋s permanently enjoined, repealed or amended鈥� to allow cities and towns to make their own laws on the subject.
The order adds that 鈥渢he laws and public policies of the District of Columbia should support the values of inclusiveness and respect for all.鈥�
So far, the states of Connecticut, Vermont, New York and Washington, and the cities of Boston, Seattle and San Francisco, have banned official travel to North Carolina, . Private companies, including the NCAA, have criticized the law.
