A federal judge in North Carolina has approved a consent decree that enshrines the right of transgender individuals to use bathrooms that match their gender identities in many North Carolina public buildings.

The agreement was reached between senior state officials and the plaintiffs, led by a transgender man named Joaquin Carcaño. The judge said the parties agree that nothing in a controversial state law "can be construed by the Executive Branch Defendants to prevent transgender people from lawfully using public facilities in accordance with their gender identity."

The settlement also states that any outstanding legal claims against the state officials by the plaintiffs, including the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, are now dismissed.

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"We are thrilled to obtain some clarity and relief for transgender North Carolinians who have been suffering under HB 2 and HB 142 for years. While this part of the court fight may be ending, so much urgent work remains as long as people who are LGBTQ are denied basic protections from violence and discrimination simply because of who they are," said Irena Como, Acting Legal Director of the ACLU of North Carolina.

Lawmakers passed the original "bathroom bill," HB 2, in 2016 under Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. In 2017, the newly-elected Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper repealed major portions of it with a new bill, HB 142.

However, as NPR's Camila Domonoske reported, the updated law remained controversial with rights advocates because it left state legislators in charge of policy on public restrooms. And like the preceding bill, it also blocked "local jurisdictions from passing anti-discrimination measures protecting LGBT people — but only until 2020, instead of indefinitely."

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