Trump administration drops 'bathroom bill' lawsuit against North Carolina

The Trump administration is dropping a lawsuit against North Carolina over the state's so-called "bathroom bill," which mandated individuals use the bathroom corresponding to their biological sex regardless of their gender identity. The suit was originally brought by the Obama administration, which claimed it discriminated against LGBT individuals. The Justice Department filed a motion to dismiss the suit Friday.

Last month, North Carolina lawmakers struck a deal to repeal the law, known as House Bill 2. The replacement law removes the provision requiring individuals to use restrooms based on their biological sex, but "prohibits local governments from enacting new nondiscrimination ordinances until December 2020," NBC affiliate WRAL reports.

Separate litigation by LGBT rights advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union and civil rights group Lambda Legal, is still pending. The suit argues that the replacement law continues to discriminate against LGBT individuals. "We'll continue this fight as long as it takes to truly strike down this disastrous law for good," said James Esseks, director of the ACLU's LGBT Project.

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