In North Carolina, Republican lawmakers moved rapidly Thursday to repeal HB 2, the so-called “bathroom bill,” replacing it with a measure that LGBTQ groups blasted as wholly inadequate. Under House Bill 142, transgender people will be able to use the bathroom matching their gender identity. But the law prohibits municipal governments from enacting anti-discrimination ordinances through 2020, and denies employment and housing protections to the LGBTQ community. Democratic Governor Roy Cooper quickly signed the legislation Thursday, calling it an imperfect deal.

Gov. Roy Cooper: “In a perfect world, with a good General Assembly, we would have repealed House Bill 2 fully today and added full statewide protections for LGBT North Carolinians. Unfortunately, our super-majority Republican Legislature will not pass these protections.”

In a statement, Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Equality said, “The story of HB 2 and its disastrous consequences started with former Gov. McCrory, but the way it continues is on Gov. Cooper’s shoulders. Unfortunately, his decision to sign HB 142 today was a turn in the wrong direction.” The governor’s signature came on Thursday’s deadline, set by the NCAA, for the repeal of HB 2. The collegiate sports association said its governing board was reviewing the new law and would soon decide whether to extend a boycott of tournaments worth billions of dollars to North Carolina’s economy.