RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - Senate Leader Dan Blue, whose caucus refused to vote on House Bill 2 in March, is calling Gov. Pat McCrory's Executive Order to clarify the law a "Band-Aid on a fatal wound."

The statement released by Blue's office reads:

"McCrory responded to pressure over HB 2 with Executive Order 93, which calls for the expansion of the state’s employment policy for state employees to cover sexual orientation and gender identity. The decision, McCrory said in a video statement, was based on public feedback and the, “misinformation, misinterpretation [and], confusion,” surrounding the bill.

McCrory’s executive order, “certainly acknowledges the problems that House Bill 2 has created,” said Senator Dan Blue (D-Wake), “but it does nothing to fix it. This order won’t override existing legislation. It only serves to muddy the waters.”  

Blue called for Republicans in the General Assembly to follow the governor’s lead by working together with Democrats to fully repeal the bill and restore the people’s rights.

“Every word of this bill needs to be off the books,” he said, “from restoring the right to sue for employment discrimination at the state level to reaffirming local governing boards’ authority to act in the best interest of their communities. If we are to survive and thrive as a state, House Bill 2 cannot stand.”

House Bill 2 passed with bipartisan support in the North Carolina House. Eleven Democrats joined with Republicans. In the Senate, the vote was 32 to 0. Blue and his entire caucus did not vote, choosing instead to leave the chamber as the vote was about to be recorded.