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Georgia’s 2017 legislative session is less than a week away, and already one rogue lawmaker is angling to make passing a “license to discriminate” his top priority.
State Sen. Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, has spent the last three years promoting legislation that would write discrimination into Georgia’s laws. He was a strong backer of HB 757 and sponsored similar legislation in the Senate that would have allowed individuals to claim religious exemptions to lawfully discriminate against gay and transgender Georgians.
Early on, leaders in the business community—including the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau—predicted a bill like HB 757 could cost Georgia up to $2 billion. Now, since watching North Carolina’s economy grind to a shuddering halt after lawmakers passed HB 2 (one of the most discriminatory laws in the country), we know for certain that anti-LGBT legislation like HB 757 has dire economic consequences.
But that hasn’t stopped Sen. McKoon, who is spoiling for a fourth year legislative fight in efforts to advance discrimination in the state of Georgia. He began floating the idea of again introducing an anti-LGBT bill almost as soon as the ink was dry on Governor Nathan Deal’s veto of HB 757. In an interview he gave with WSB-TV in May, Sen. McKoon indicated that not only did he want to introduce an anti-LGBT so-called “religious liberty” bill in 2017—he also wanted to promote North Carolina-style legislation specifically targeting transgender Georgians for discrimination by denying them access to bathrooms.
To date, North Carolina’s House Bill 2 has cost the state $600 million in revenue from lost tourism and investment opportunities, and it has pushed the state into nationwide notoriety. This is why several of Georgia’s LGBT lawmakers are already warning against attempting to pass similar legislation in the Peach State, warnings that Georgia lawmakers on both sides of the aisle appear prepared to listen to—except for Sen. McKoon.
Sen. McKoon’s GOP colleagues have already signaled they’re not taking up his fight—and rightly so—even going so far as to punish Senator McKoon for his continued insistence. After Sen. McKoon recently reiterated his desire to introduce another “religious liberty” bill in 2017, the Senate Republican Caucus moved to combine the body’s two judiciary committees. This would boot Sen. McKoon out of his chairmanship—a position he used in 2015 to advance Senate Bill 129, a bill that was nearly identical to the disastrous HB 757.
Sen. McKoon is ready to risk Georgia’s economy and its national reputation over an issue that has been rejected strongly multiple times by lawmakers and by the public. At this point, he’s merely representative of a small fringe group of lawmakers who want nothing more than to write LGBT discrimination into our state’s laws, no matter the cost to Georgia’s citizens and businesses.
The fight to pass legislation that discriminates against LGBT Georgians is bound to fail, as it has again and again. But in the meantime it could do serious damage. Our elected leaders are doing to right thing by nipping this last-ditch effort by a few fringe lawmakers in the bud while there’s still time.
Instead, Georgia’s lawmakers should focus on passing proactive, comprehensive bills that protect LGBT Georgians from discrimination. Help us push them to action by joining our coalition and signing the pledge to support LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination protections.
In March, the North Carolina Legislature passed the most anti-transgender legislation (HB 2) in the country, codifying discrimination into state law and effectively banning transgender North Carolinians from using the restroom that aligns with who they are.
Today, they had the opportunity to begin to repair the damage done. And they failed.
At 10a.m. the North Carolina Legislature met for one of countless costly special sessions this year—called for by outgoing Governor Pat McCrory (R)—to discuss a repeal of HB 2, which earned the state national notoriety and cost upwards of $600 million dollars since it was signed.
Ten hours later, lawmakers voted against the motion to repeal. State-sanctioned discrimination against transgender North Carolinians remains on the books. And towns and cities remain barred from passing local LGBT protections.
By refusing to act and repeal HB 2, North Carolina lawmakers have clearly demonstrated they will not back down from their anti-LGBT agenda—and they have themselves alone to blame for the dire consequences.
In the nine months since HB 2 was first signed into law, North Carolina has faced swift and severe business boycotts. Companies like PayPal, Deutsche Bank, and CoStar froze planned expansions in the state—freezing thousands of new jobs, and hundreds of millions in revenue. The tourism industry was hard hit, losing hundreds of millions in revenue from cancelled entertainment events and conventions. And the basketball-crazy state took a major blow when the NBA and NCAA pulled major championship games.
Then, on Election Day constituents signaled their strong opposition to the law by voting incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory—the man who signed HB 2 and made his support for the law a cornerstone of his reelection campaign—out of office. Meanwhile, other Republicans like President-elect Trump and Sen. Richard Burr carried the state by strong margins.
It’s undeniable: Discrimination comes at a steep price. And with HB 2 still on the books, North Carolina will continue to bear the brunt of economic fallout, political turmoil, and national reputational damage.
Lawmakers in Georgia should take note. Our state narrowly avoided North Carolina’s doomed fate when Republican Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed HB 757, legislation that would have given “license to discriminate” against LGBT Georgians.
And in 2017, we have a choice: Follow in North Carolina’s footsteps—and risk potentially billions of dollars in economic damage. Or drop the anti-LGBT agenda, begin to heal political divisions, and do what’s right for our economy and for our communities.
We know, looking ahead to 2017 that we have our work cut out for us in the movement to advance LGBT equality. But as we look back on what we’ve accomplished in 2016, we are heartened to know that in Georgia, our movement is stronger than ever before.
Here are the top five things to celebrate as we look back on 2016.
Transgender people are more visible in our society than ever before, including in Georgia. According to the Williams Institute—an LGBT public policy think tank—the population of transgender people in the United States has doubled in the last decade. Georgia has the 4th highest population of transgender residents in the country—more than 55,000 people.
One thing we know is that the more educated the public and lawmakers are about who transgender people are and the unique hardships they face, the less likely they are to support discriminatory legislation. That’s why we launched our Transgender Voices of Georgia storytelling hub in October.
One of many transgender Georgians we spoke to is Raquel Willis, an Atlanta-based writer who has had her work published in The New York Times and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After spending her childhood and young adult years feeling like something wasn’t quite right, Raquel embraced her transgender identity. Now she works to help others embrace their identity too.
“There will always be people who don’t think like you or look like you. And you just have to love them. There’s that human element. We’re all different but we can still respect each other.” –Raquel Willis, Atlanta
Read Raquel’s story and stories from other transgender Georgians by visiting our Transgender Voices of Georgia storytelling hub.
When opponents of LGBT equality first hinted that they would attempt to pass a religious exemptions bill during the 2016 legislative session, the response from faith leaders was swift.
At the Statehouse clergy of every creed unite against discrimination. Join them: https://t.co/L6ox95UJcR #lgbt #FADA pic.twitter.com/18p4jiv9Po
— Georgia Unites (@GeorgiaUnites) February 24, 2016
In late December 2015, hundreds of faith leaders from diverse traditions and denominations united to oppose such a bill. Lawmakers ultimately ignored the appeals of these faith leaders and introduced HB 757—sweeping legislation that would have given “license to discriminate” against LGBT Georgians under the guise of protecting religious freedom.
The faith coalition responded in staunch opposition, petitioning lawmakers and hosting rallies at the Capitol to voice their dissent and make the case for LGBT inclusion, and non-discrimination—not in spite of their faith, but because of it.
Full pager in @ajc ft. 270+ clergy from across #GA who denounce dangerous & unnecessary #RFRA-type bills. #GApol pic.twitter.com/SHkSSiiXFF
— Georgia Unites (@GeorgiaUnites) January 15, 2016
By March, the faith coalition had grown to over 300 members. And when Governor Deal announced he would veto HB 757, and gave religious basis for his decision—the faith coalition were some of the first to celebrate his veto. The coalition is still growing, so if you’re a faith leader who is committed to advancing LGBT non-discrimination in Georgia, click here to join.
Georgia’s business community didn’t want to see anti-LGBT legislation passed in Georgia, and they presented a united front of opposition to HB 757 early on.
The Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau were some of the first to sound the alarm, releasing studies that showed the legislature’s proposed “religious liberty” bill could cost Georgia’s economy $2 billion in revenue. Major Georgia companies including Home Depot and Dow took public stands against anti-LGBT legislation; some companies even said they would pull business from the state if HB 757 became law.
RT if you stand with the 500+ businesses who support #LGBT non-discrimination to make #Georgia‘s communities stronger & more prosperous! pic.twitter.com/XFr37A3p6G
— Georgia Unites (@GeorgiaUnites) October 21, 2016
As HB 757 picked up steam in the legislature and became a formidable threat, hundreds of businesses rallied against the discriminatory—and potentially economically devastating—legislation and joined Georgia Prospers, a coalition of the state’s largest corporations and local mom-and-pops dedicated to keeping Georgia open and inclusive. By March, Georgia Prospers was boasting more than 500 companies and was force to be reckoned with, continually reminding lawmakers how much anti-LGBT legislation could hurt Georgia’s economy.
Over the last several months Georgia’s business community has continued this mission, and many have already committed to opposing anti-LGBT bills during the 2017 legislative session.
On March 2, we delivered 75,000 letters to Governor Deal from constituents opposing “license to discriminate” legislation like HB 757. Most of those letters—40,000—came in a single week after the Senate hastily voted to advance the bill without allowing for amendments.
Coalition partners descend on #GA Capitol to deliver 75K letters opposing anti-#LGBT lege: https://t.co/wFtXdD9SeE pic.twitter.com/PLAxQz81NY
— Georgia Unites (@GeorgiaUnites) March 2, 2016
The petition delivery came after months of grassroots campaigning to block legislation that would promote LGBT discrimination. It was extensively covered by local and national news, and was the spark that lead to the exponential growth of our faith and businesses coalitions.
75K constituent letters opposing #LGBT discrimination: delivered! It’s time to move #Georgia forward. #GApol pic.twitter.com/mnuScCb7CO
— Georgia Unites (@GeorgiaUnites) March 2, 2016
And, ultimately, it lead us to our biggest victory of the year.
On March 28, 2016, Governor Deal vetoed HB 757, a historic decision which has had lasting impact on Georgia’s communities, the state economy, and which has served as a lesson to state legislatures across the country: LGBT inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s good for business too.
The consequences of signing this bill would have been disastrous. First and foremost, there was the human toll. If Governor Deal had signed HB 757 into law, it would have explicitly legalized discrimination against LGBT Georgians, single women, religious minorities and more.
Then, there was the economic toll. HB 757 put thousands of jobs on the line, with companies threatening to pull business out of Georgia or scrapping plans to expand—which is exactly what happened in North Carolina after Governor Pat McCrory signed HB 2 into law. And that’s in addition to the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau’s estimate that our state could have lost $2 billion in investment and tourism revenue.
But because Governor Deal vetoed HB 757, LGBT Georgia’s don’t have to live under the threat of state-sanctioned discrimination. And all Georgian’s can enjoy the economic benefits, including GE’s decision to move its digital headquarters here, and the Atlantic Coast Conference’s decision to relocate championship games from North Carolina.
It’s truly been an inspiring year for the movement for LGBT equality in Georgia. We’re getting ready to notch even more victories in 2017—and defend our progress from those who would roll it back. If you’ll be with us in the fight to protect LGBT Georgians from discrimination in 2017, let us know by signing our pledge.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Graham
Jeff@georgiaequality.org, 404-523-3070 Ext 102
ATLANTA – Pat McCrory conceded North Carolina’s governor’s race to Roy Cooper today, putting an end to a drawn-out process which saw Cooper widen his lead over McCrory substantially since November 8. Cooper secured the governorship over McCrory by a margin that exceeds more than 10,000 votes.
HB 2 – the discriminatory law that bands transgender people from using public restrooms and undermines the ability of local municipalities to pass their own policies – played a central role in McCrory’s defeat. Exit polling showed that 66 percent of North Carolina voters opposed HB 2. Aside from McCrory, Republicans performed well in North Carolina – President-elect Donald Trump carried the state by a healthy margin, and U.S. Sen. Richard Burr dispatched his Democratic challenger by more than six points.
Jeff Graham released the following statement through Georgia Unites against Discrimination:
“It’s clear that Governor McCrory’s relentless support for discrimination cost him his job. HB 2 has cost North Carolina nearly a billion dollars in lost revenue. It’s cost the state jobs, and it’s cost the state high-profile sporting events, conferences and concerts. Pat McCrory tried to ignore all the damage he unleashed on his state by signing HB 2 into law, and Roy Cooper from the very beginning expressed a commitment to stand against discrimination.
“We’re hopeful that Governor McCrory’s defeat – taken with the undeniable economic toll the law has taken on the state – will send a clear message to lawmakers here in Georgia that anti-LGBT bills really do have consequences – both politically and economically. Nothing good will come of spending yet another year wasting time and energy on divisive, harmful bills that hurt our state. Instead, it’s time to talk about how we can grow Georgia’s economy and strengthen our communities even more. We can do just that by passing comprehensive nondiscrimination protections that extend to all Georgians, from all walks of life.”
Governor-elect Cooper will take office on January 7, 2017. Cooper – along with a number of state lawmakers, including some Republicans – has expressed a desire to repeal HB 2.
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@GeorgiaUnitesWe were so grateful to be able to profile Rachel last year. Her story is inspiring and it's sad to see her treated unfairly. Thank you Rachel for standing up for yourself! bit.ly/2VTK7j3