Some 200 small businesses in Texas have signed a letter opposing state legislation that would discriminate against any group. The letter specifically cites North Carolina’s House Bill 2 -- a law that prevents cities from adopting rules preventing discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation, and requires people use the public bathroom that matches the gender on their birth certificates. The effort was organized by the LGBT rights group Equality Texas.
“There have been over half-a-billion dollars of economic losses in the state of North Carolina. Texas is a larger state. Our economy is one of the largest in the world. And the reality is that similar consequences to what North Carolina is experiencing would happen here," says Equality Texas Executive Director Chuck Smith.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has vowed to support a state-law banning people from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity.
