NC GOP Cements Agenda by Flipping Key Democratic Votes in Override Session

Raleigh -- July 30. 2025: In a pivotal legislative session yesterday, July 29, 2025, North Carolina Republican lawmakers successfully overrode several vetoes by Democratic Governor Josh Stein, enacting a suite of conservative bills into law.

 Despite holding a near veto-proof majority, the House GOP remains just one seat shy of overcoming vetoes at will, forcing them to strategically win over a handful of House Democrats on critical measures.

This delicate balance was on full display as some of the Governor's vetoes fell, while others narrowly held.

Bills That Became Law (Vetoes Overridden): The following bills, previously vetoed by Governor Stein, were successfully overridden by both the House and Senate and are now law:

House Bill 193 (Firearms Law Revisions): This bill allows faculty, staff, and volunteers with a valid concealed handgun permit and additional training to carry firearms on private school property with permission from the property owner.

Democratic Support in House Override: Reportedly, Rep. Shelly Willingham (D-Edgecombe) was the key Democratic vote for this override.

House Bill 318 (The Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act): This law mandates closer cooperation between local sheriff's offices and federal immigration enforcement (ICE), requiring the detention of individuals for up to 48 hours for ICE if they would otherwise be released.

Democratic Support in House Override: Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg) was the critical, sole Democratic vote to override this veto in the House.

House Bill 402 (Limit Rules with Substantial Financial Costs - "REINS Act"): This legislation imposes greater legislative scrutiny on state agency rules, requiring legislative approval for regulations estimated to cost more than $20 million over a five-year period.

Democratic Support in House Override: Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg) and Rep. Shelly Willingham (D-Edgecombe) voted with Republicans on this override.

House Bill 549 (Clarify Powers of State Auditor): This bill expands the state auditor's access to records of private businesses or nonprofits that receive state or federal funds.

Democratic Support in House Override: Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg) and Rep. Shelly Willingham (D-Edgecombe) voted with Republicans on this override.

House Bill 805 (Prevent Sexual Exploitation/Women and Minors): This controversial law defines "sex" in state law based on biological attributes, bars K-12 schools from placing male and female students in the same sleeping quarters, and prohibits state funds for gender transition procedures in correctional facilities. It also increases the statute of limitations for lawsuits related to transition surgeries.

Democratic Support in House Override: Rep. Nasif Majeed (D-Mecklenburg) was the deciding Democratic vote to override this veto.

Senate Bill 254 (Charter School Changes): This law shifts some oversight responsibilities for charter schools from the State Board of Education to the Charter School Review Board, effectively giving the legislature more control.

Democratic Support in House Override: Rep. Cecil Brockman (D-Guilford), Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg), and Rep. Shelly Willingham (D-Edgecombe) voted with Republicans on this override.

Senate Bill 266 (The Power Bill Reduction Act): This bill largely impacts Duke Energy's operations and, notably, repeals a portion of a 2021 law that directed electric regulators to work toward reducing carbon dioxide output 70% from 2005 levels by 2030, while retaining a long-term goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Democratic Support in House Override: Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg), Rep. Nasif Majeed (D-Mecklenburg), and Rep. Shelly Willingham (D-Edgecombe) voted with Republicans on this override.

Senate Bill 416 (Personal Privacy Protection Act): This law bars state agencies from collecting or disclosing nonprofit donor data and imposes penalties for officials who disclose such information.

Democratic Support in House Override: Rep. Cecil Brockman (D-Guilford), Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg), and Rep. Shelly Willingham (D-Edgecombe) voted with Republicans on this override.

Bills That Did NOT Pass (Vetoes Sustained, for now):

Despite the Republican push, several other key vetoed bills did not garner enough Democratic support in the House to be overridden yesterday, meaning they remain stalled. These include:

Senate Bill 50 (Freedom to Carry NC): This bill would allow permitless concealed carry for eligible adults. While the Senate overrode the veto, the House did not bring it up for a vote, facing an uphill battle due to some initial Republican opposition as well as unified Democratic opposition.

Senate Bill 153 (North Carolina Border Protection Act): This bill would mandate broader cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and empower residents to sue local governments with "sanctuary" policies. The Senate overrode the veto, but the House did not move forward with an override vote.

Senate Bill 227 (Eliminating DEI in Public K–12 Education) & Senate Bill 558 (Eliminating DEI in Public Higher Education): These bills, which would have restricted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs across public education, were successfully blocked by a unified Democratic caucus in the House, preventing the three-fifths majority needed for an override.

The GOP's Narrow Majority:

The results underscore the Republican Party's legislative strategy in North Carolina. With 72 seats in the 120-member House, Republicans are just one seat shy of the 73 votes needed for a supermajority that could override any gubernatorial veto at will. This means that for every override, they must secure at least one Democratic vote, and sometimes more, depending on Republican attendance or any unexpected defections within their own ranks.

House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) acknowledged the situation after the session, stating that on "most issues, we're going to have a working supermajority." He indicated that the remaining vetoed bills could still be brought up for override votes in future sessions if the "numbers are there."

WNCTimes

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