North Carolina General Assembly Overrides Governor’s Vetos to Pass Laws

The North Carolina General Assembly, the state’s legislature, voted to override several vetoes issued by Gov. Josh Stein, allowing the bills to become law.

Although Stein, a Democrat, won by a 14-point margin in the 2024 election, the General Assembly’s makeup remained largely unchanged, with Republicans retaining a three-fifths majority in both the Senate and House.

The North Carolina Constitution allows the General Assembly to override a governor’s veto with a three-fifths majority vote in both chambers.

Legislation enacted via veto override on July 29 included requiring local sheriffs to honor detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for suspected illegal immigrants; defining “male” and “female” as the only two sexes recognized by the state; and mandating that costly executive branch regulations receive legislative approval before taking effect.

“Today the General Assembly just made your utility bills more expensive and cost the state thousands of good-paying clean energy jobs by overriding my veto,” Stein wrote on social media, referring to the override of his veto of Senate Bill 266, which repealed the state’s carbon emission reduction targets and allowed utility companies to increase power consumption rates to finance new construction.

Other bills enacted by the General Assembly over the governor’s veto included Senate Bill 416, which bans public agencies from collecting and releasing information about donors to organizations, as well as Senate Bill 254, which changed the oversight structure of charter schools to a board of General Assembly appointees, thereby limiting the executive’s oversight of them.

“Today in the NC Senate, we passed 12 critical veto overrides … We are standing strong for common sense, parental rights, women, minors, and freedom in North Carolina,” state Sen. Dana Caudill Jones, a Republican, wrote on social media.

Some of the override votes were bipartisan, as several Democrats joined GOP lawmakers to vote in favor of the legislation.

State Rep. Shelly Willingham and Carla Cunningham, both Democrats, offered consistent votes in favor of Republicans that enabled the legislation to become law.

“All cultures are not equal. Some immigrants come and believe they can function in isolation, refusing to adapt … I suggest they must assimilate,” Cunningham said during remarks on the floor of the state House of Representatives, while defending her vote on House Bill 318 regarding ICE detainers.

Several votes remain outstanding in both houses, including bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies across the state, a bill allowing for concealed carry of firearms without a permit, as well as a bill permitting teachers to carry firearms in private schools. These votes will likely occur over the next several days.

“Happy Veto Override Day to all who celebrate,” State House Speaker Destin Hall, a Republican, wrote on social media. “The people of NC deserve better than [the Governor]’s misguided vetoes. The House will DELIVER.”