A Civil Rights Lawyer Talks “March Madness”
As civil rights lawyers, it is our responsibility to stay educated on current news concerning civil liberties. It is also our responsibility to keep our clients informed about these issues. Today, we want to talk about a civil rights news story that addresses the intersection between sports and politics. If you’re in need of legal assistance from a civil rights lawyer, the Law Office of Perry Piñón is ready to help!
Basketball, Politics, and Civil Rights
You may not be much of a basketball fan, but you have to admit that March Madness is pretty epic. The nation’s best teams fight for a championship title, and countless Americans fill out brackets predicting the final outcome. If you are one of the 70 million U.S. citizens who filled out a bracket this year, chances are your predictions were shattered in the first round. That is the drama and the magic of NCAA basketball.
But lurking in the background of the competitive chaos that we call March Madness is an entirely different kind of madness – a civil rights dispute that started with a bill that was passed in North Carolina in 2016.
The Negative Aftermath of HB2
On March 23rd, 2016, North Carolina’s legislature passed a law that prevented transgender people from using government-run bathrooms that corresponded with the gender with which they identified. The new law also prevented local ordinances from expanding upon the statewide definition of civil rights – meaning that certain groups were doomed to go without the protection of anti-discrimination laws. The new law was known as House Bill 2 (HB2) among some and “the Bathroom Bill” among others.
Almost immediately, HB2 received pushback and sparked intense conversations regarding civil liberties. Protests broke out state wide, and the nation took note. On July 21, 2016, the National Basketball Association announced that it would move its 2017 championship All-Star Game out of Charlotte, NC. This decision would ultimately cost the state $100 million dollars. Next, the NCAA chose to remove seven of the 2017 championship games out of North Carolina, including two March Madness games.
Compromising on HB2
On December 21st, 2016 the N.C. Senate voted to repeal the bill that had cost the state millions of dollars in canceled events and boycotts. The House, however, did not vote on the repeal of the bill. Finally, on March 20th, 2017, the N.C. legislature passed a type of compromise repeal (HB142) to try meet the NCAA deadline of deciding on future tournament games locations. Some people are critical of the repeal, as it still prevents local North Carolina counties from passing local non-discriminatory laws until 2020. The NCAA board of governors will take these issues into account in early April when they meet to decide whether to return events to North Carolina.
A Civil Rights Lawyer in El Paso
The drama surround HB2 may be centered in North Carolina, but it is important for us to be informed about the civil rights conversations that are happening around the United States. At The Law Office of Perry Piñón, we are committed to awareness and to educating our clients. If you are in need of an intelligent civil rights lawyer in the El Paso area, consider contacting our office today.