(The Center Square) – Eight vetoes overturned, six still alive and all pending decisions in the North Carolina House of Representatives where the coined phrase of the day is working supermajority.
First-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein got a taste of what his predecessor drank all 52 times he issued vetoes the last two years – an override. Roy Cooper has gone on to try and land a seat in the U.S. Senate, and Stein is facing a General Assembly where united Democrats are necessary to prevent a Republican roll through legislation.
Defining men and women for legal and policy matters, and another chip played in the game of state lawmen and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were the big scores for Republican lawmakers led by Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger of Rockingham County and House Speaker Destin Hall of Caldwell County. But there was more.
Much more.
There was another win for authority in the office of first-term Republican state Auditor Dave Boliek, changes in authority involving charter schools and a delay of a green agenda date lawmakers say could save $12 billion to $15 billion in energy costs.
No veto override votes failed, but six await decisions in the House. Three-fifths majority is needed in each chamber, and Republicans hold edges of 30-20 in the Senate and 71-49 in the House of Representatives.
Thus, the “working supermajority” as one scribe called it of 72 or higher in the House was Democratic Reps. Carla Cunningham and Nasif Majeed of Mecklenburg County, Shelly Willingham of Edgecombe County and Cecil Brockman of Guilford County.
Vetoes on constitutional carry, one of two on immigration, three involving diversity policies and a sixth veto centered on expedited eviction of squatters are all eligible to be overturned. The Senate did overturn all but one of the diversity bills and the squatter proposal in a record-setting 12 on the day.
“Senate Republicans stood firmly against Governor Stein’s disastrous decision to veto bills that protect our citizens,” Berger said after his chamber set a record with 12-of-12 successful veto override votes in a single day. “His vetoes lay bare his priorities. He wants schools to indoctrinate our children, bureaucrats to control your family, radical Green New Deal schemes to drive up your energy bills, and the government to infringe on your Second Amendment rights. We won’t allow his radical agenda to take hold in North Carolina.”
In addition to immigration and gender policies, the lawmakers also made the following overrides amid six Senate Democrats changing their votes (two twice) and 12 House Democrats (one three times, three others twice) doing the trick:
• Clarify Powers of State Auditor (House Bill 549). This law expands investigative work to publicly funded entities by the state auditor. Willingham joined Republicans for 72-48 override passage in the House, and the Senate was 30-19. At passage, the House was 62-48 with only Willingham among Democrats in favor and Senate 27-14.
Sen. Dan Blue, D-Wake, changed his aye vote from passage.
• The Power Bill Reduction Act (Senate Bill 266). This law eliminates the interim date for carbon reduction by certain electric utilities, believed to offer savings between $12 billion and $15 billion. The 2021 law called for 70% reduction of emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. The proposal makes it 70% by 2050.
Override votes were 30-18 in the Senate and 74-46 in the House. Democrats in favor were Cunningham, Majeed and Willingham.
Democratic Sens. Paul Lowe of Forsyth County and Joyce Waddell of Mecklenburg County had been for it in a 29-11 passage. Changing their votes from aye in the House were Democratic Reps. Bryan Cohn of Glanville County, Mike Colvin of Cumberland County, Dr. Frances Jackson of Cumberland County, Ray Jeffers of Person County, Garland Pierce of Scotland County, Dante Pittman of Wilson County, James Roberson of Wake County and Charles Smith of Cumberland County.
• Charter School Changes (Senate Bill 254). This law changes some of the authority decisions at play between the State Board of Education and the Charter Schools Review Board. Senate override was 30-19, House 74-46 with Brockman, Cunningham and Willingham joining all Republicans.
Changing aye votes were Democratic Reps. Deb Butler of New Hanover County, Aisha Dew of Mecklenburg County, Zack Hawkins of Durham County, Jeffers, Pierce, Roberson and Smith.
• Personal Privacy Protection Act (Senate Bill 416). This bill protects privacy of donations made to nonprofits. Opponents, including the governor, said it would bring “dark money” into politics. Advocates assured state and federal campaign laws are not impacted.
North Carolina is the 22nd state to have this protection, according to the People United for Privacy Foundation.
Senate override was party line 30-19 and House was 74-46 with Brockman, Cunningham and Willingham the lone Democrats in favor. At passage (Senate 24-15, House 63-46), seven Senate Republicans took excused absences and an eighth didn’t vote; and 10 House Republicans had excused absences, with another not voting.
Democratic Sens. Gale Adcock of Wake County and Julie Mayfield of Buncombe County changed their aye votes in the upper chamber. Smith’s aye vote and Brockman’s no changed in the House.
• Limit Rules With Substantial Financial Costs (House Bill 402). This was formerly known as the NC REINS Act (SB290) and, among other things, makes legislative approval necessary for regulations with price tags exceeding $20 million. Senate override votes were party line 30-19, and the House delivered 73-47 with Cunningham and Willingham joining 71 Republicans. Brockman changed from an aye vote at passage to no at override.
• Firearm Law Revisions (House Bill 193). This law allows certain, not all, employees and volunteers at private schools to have a concealed firearm with a valid permit; and allows anyone to conceal carry a handgun on educational property that serves as a place of worship provided school is not in session. The bill also increased penalties for threats and assaults on elected officials.
Override votes were 72-48 in the House and 29-19 in the Senate. Willingham voted with all Republicans in the House; Sen. Dave Craven Jr., R-Randolph, chose not to vote in the upper chamber.
Several came to the table or changed their votes from passage (61-46 House, 29-17 Senate). Ten Republicans had taken excused absences, and one chose not to vote in the House. Republican Sens. Lisa Barnes of Nash County, Bobby Hanig of Currituck County, Timothy Moffitt of Henderson County and Buck Newton of Wilson County had been excused but united against the veto, and Democratic Sens. Blue, Lowe and Gladys Robinson of Guilford County changed from aye to no.
• The six vetoes that could be voted on are Freedom to Carry NC (SB50); North Carolina Border Protection Act (SB153); Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI (HB171) Eliminating “DEI” in Public Education (SB227); Eliminating “DEI” in Public Higher Education (SB558); and Expedited Removal of Unauthorized Person (HB96).
