NORTH CAROLINA: RFRA Is Dead

Via the Associated Press:

The leader of the North Carolina House says his chamber won't debate a "religious freedom" bill this year that supporters promoted as protecting religious liberties but others criticized as legalizing discrimination against gays and lesbians. House Speaker Tim Moore told reporters Thursday the proposal or anything similar to it won't move during this session, which is expected to end sometime this summer. Moore says the bill sponsors have good intentions but the issue has been politically mischaracterized based on reaction to a similar Indiana law.

From Equality North Carolina:

"Today, true North Carolina values of fairness and justice prevailed with the announcement that the state's so-called 'Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (or RFRA) would no longer be considered in the General Assembly's 2015-2016 session, said Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro. "This decision is a testament to the actions of thousands of North Carolinians--from business leaders to faith communities to a majority of North Carolina voters--who made their voices heard over the past several months through emails, letters, calls and in-person meetings and who pushed back on the notion that religion should ever be used to discriminate against North Carolinians."