NC House Republicans Set to Consider Veto Overrides on Immigration, Guns
House Republicans plan override votes on immigration, gun, and diversity bills vetoed by Governor Stein, but need Democratic support to succeed.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — North Carolina House Republicans will consider overriding several gubernatorial vetoes when the legislature returns to session Tuesday, targeting bills on immigration enforcement, gun rights, and diversity programs that Democratic Governor Josh Stein rejected.
The House has six override measures on its Tuesday agenda, though Republican leaders plan to bring them up for debate only if they believe they have enough votes to succeed. Four of the bills originated in the state Senate, which voted along party lines last July to override Stein’s vetoes.
Republicans Face Vote Count Challenge
Override efforts face different hurdles in each chamber. Senate Republicans hold a veto-proof majority, making overrides easier in that chamber. However, House Republicans are one vote short of a veto-proof majority, requiring them to secure at least one Democratic vote to override Stein’s rejections.
Last year, the legislature successfully overrode eight Stein vetoes with assistance from House Democrats who later lost their primaries. Representatives Carla Cunningham and Nasif Majeed, both of Mecklenburg County, and Representative Shelly Willingham of Edgecombe County each voted to override Stein at least twice.
Former Representative Cecil Brockman of High Point also joined Republicans in two successful override votes before resigning from the legislature last year after being charged with child sex crimes. Brockman has denied any wrongdoing.
Immigration and Gun Bills Lead Override Queue
Among the measures awaiting override consideration is Senate Bill 153, which would authorize state law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws and require them to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The legislation would also mandate that state agencies verify non-citizens are not receiving state-supported health or housing benefits.
The override queue spans multiple policy areas, including measures related to firearms and diversity programs. Republican leaders have postponed override votes multiple times over the past six months when they lacked sufficient support.
Override Process Requirements
For a bill to become law despite a gubernatorial veto, both the House and Senate must vote to override. The Senate has already completed its override votes on the four bills that originated in that chamber, approving them on party-line votes last July.
The timing of Tuesday’s session will depend on whether House Republican leadership believes they can secure the necessary Democratic crossover votes. Without at least one Democratic supporter, the override attempts cannot succeed given the current composition of the chamber.
