Bank of America, Avoid Anti-LGBT Law and Move to CT, Say Legislators

Editor’s Note: Patch is re-running this story in case you missed it the first time around.

NEW HAVEN, CT - A bipartisan group of Connecticut legislators has set their sights on attracting a banking giant to move to the state to avoid a discriminatory new law in its current home state.

In a letter to Charlotte, NC-based Bank of America, more than 40 legislators reached out to the company inviting it to move from North Carolina to Connecticut to avoid the controversial new law North Carolina adopted "restricting the rights of LGBT" citizens.

“Connecticut is home to world class financial institutions,” said state Rep. Matthew Lesser (D-Middletown), who co-authored the letter with state Sen. Gary Winfield (D-New Haven), in a statement. “We invite Bank of America to consider moving to a state that shares its social values and supports its LGBT workforce. We welcome Bank of America and major North Carolina financial institutions threatened by their state’s reckless actions.”

According to Lesser, Bank of America is already expanding its footprint in Connecticut, and he applauded recent moves by the company including an expansion of paid family and medical leave. Additionally, Bank of America is the biggest of many North Carolina companies to openly oppose the law.

The New York Times reports that the North Carolina law, and similar ones in Mississippi and that are being considered in other states, are causing businesses to flee or call off plans for expansion or moves to those states. In most cases, such laws have been passed in states with conservative, Republican-dominated leadership.

"If the State of North Carolina insists on standing on the wrong side of history by keeping this law on the books, we are more than happy to invite Bank of America to join us in Connecticut, where we are proud to stand with the LGBT community," said Sen. Winfield. "We have a proven track record of upholding the rights of individuals in this community. We too are appalled by HB2, and welcome Bank of America to join the ranks of the world class financial institutions that call Connecticut home."

Among the dozens of legislators who signed the letter include Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden), Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin), Commerce Committee co-Chair Rep. Chris Perone (D-Norwalk), Rep. Jesse MacLachlan (R-Westbrook) and Rep. John Scott (R-Mystic).

North Carolina’s House Bill 2, the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, "blocks transgendered residents from accessing restrooms and prevents local governments from adopting nondiscrimination ordinances," according to Lesser and Winfield, who added that the bill has been deemed the most anti-LGBT legislation in the country.

Lesser and Winfield also added that they "would not rule out targeting other North Carolina financial institutions, including Wells Fargo and PayPal, both of which have strongly opposed the new law."