Republican lawmakers and Democratic Governor Roy Cooper are again pointing fingers over efforts to repeal House Bill 2.On Tuesday night, House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate Leader Phil Berger accused Gov. Cooper of reneging on a four-part agreement to undo the controversial law that, among other things, requires people to use the public bathroom that corresponds to the sex listed on their birth certificate.
Related: A State Divided: HB2 & Transgender Rights - A Special Report
“We called the Governor on the way down here, you noticed we were a few minutes late, to let him know we agreed to his proposal in principal,” Berger said at an evening press conference. “And he now denies he ever made the proposal. So, now we’ve got to figure out exactly where we are.”
Democrat Darren Jackson said Republicans are laying blame instead of working on a compromise.
“They don’t have the votes,” Jackson said. “And they try stunts because it’s all about point and blame, it’s not about doing the responsible thing and fixing it.”
After the dueling press conferences, Moore and Berger walked over to the Governor's mansion for further discussions.
Republicans hold veto-proof majorities at the Legislature.
A spokesperson for Governor Cooper did not confirm or deny an agreement had been reached. In a statement, his administration called it a frustrating political stunt, and said any compromise must work to end discrimination.
