North Carolina Republicans Override Democratic Governor’s Vetoes of Several Bills, Including One Defining Biological Sex

Republicans in North Carolina’s legislature are working to override a series of vetoes from the state’s Democratic governor, Josh Stein, on transgender, Second Amendment, and immigration issues. Mr. Stein took office in January and has vetoed 14 bills on a variety of conservative issues, such as gun laws, immigration enforcement, and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in schools.Republicans have a supermajority in the state senate, which means they have the three-fifths majority needed to override a veto. However, in the state house, Republicans are one seat short of a super-majority and need support from Democrats to override a veto.Republicans in both chambers have so far successfully overridden Mr. Stein’s vetoes on eight laws.The legislature overrode his veto on a bill that allows for guns to be carried on private school property.Another bill that was vetoed and received the necessary three-fifths majority in both chambers is HB-805, which is supposed to protect against the exploitation of minors. Mr. Stein when he vetoed the bill accused Republicans of engaging in “divisive, job killing culture wars.” Republicans added amendments that provided definitions for male, female, and biological sex. Other provisions included giving parents the ability to restrict what library books their students can check out, preventing state dollars from being spent on gender-affirming care in prisons, and requiring that birth certificates reflect an individual’s original gender if they identify as a different gender. The legislature also voted to override a veto of a bill that requires law enforcement to verify the legal status of detainees and to turn them over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement if they are in America illegally. There are several bills touching on hot-button issues awaiting votes, such as one that would give anyone over the age of 18 — down from 21 — the ability to carry a gun without a concealed carry permit. The bill clarifies that people convicted of certain crimes, such as domestic violence, would be subject to restrictions. An immigration bill that would require local officials to cooperate with ICE received enough votes in the senate to override Mr. Stein’s veto; however, it is unclear if Democrats in the house will help get it over the finish line. Two of three bills prohibiting diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives in education won enough votes in the senate to override the vetoes. However, Democrats have signaled they do not intend to provide any votes in the house to override Mr. Stein’s vetoes. In a video on X, Mr. Stein urged the legislature to focus on passing the budget bill, which he said “matters to every North Carolinian,” instead of the “divisive stuff.”The senate president, Phil Berger, said in a press release that Mr. Stein “tolerates criminal illegal aliens roaming our streets, divisive ‘DEI’ concepts in our schools, and government infringement on our Second Amendment rights.”“I look forward to leading Senate Republicans in overriding these harmful vetoes and putting North Carolina families first,” Mr. Berger added.

North Carolina Republicans Override Democratic Governor’s Vetoes of Several Bills, Including One Defining Biological Sex

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