@nerdychica – While it may seem likely the law will be repealed in the next legislative session, those of us with experience living in states which have passed legislation seemingly at odds with the weight of public sympathy have seen that the intelligent relief people expect, doesn’t always come to pass.
Here in Indiana, our Governor promoted and the legislature passed a state law which purported to be similar to the federal RFRA, but in fact, was a far more “conservative” piece of legislation. After a public relations disaster, with companies, major sporting events etc. threatening to bail out, the legislature amended the statute, but no one is quite clear what it means or what the impact has been on the state. Plus, that particular legislative fight turned out to be a warm up for this year’s legislative session, with a series of additional “culture wars” type legislation. Similarly, in Wisconsin, when Gov Walker launched his attack on the UW system, many – including myself – thought the budget cuts and limits on power would not go through. They did. When a conservative governor has a conservative majority in the legislature, there are no guarantees about “fixes” going through. From the experience of someone who has watched in disbelief at some surprising legislative action, thinking the “grown ups” would step in and fix it – there aren’t necessarily “grown ups” in the NC legislature willing to tackle this issue.
For a student who travels in and out of NC, is engaged in internships, research, or community service off campus, for the time being, this is a real consideration.