The state Republican Party voted overwhelmingly along party lines in the House by a 72-46 vote to override Gov. Roy Cooper's (D) veto of a bill that would strip power from North Carolina's Democratic governor. As a result, it was enacted on Wednesday.
Wednesday's House vote will pass the bill into law, as the Senate had already voted to override the governor's veto on Dec. 2.
Republicans are expected to lose their veto-proof supermajority in 2025 after the 2024 election, and the vote marks the culmination of their efforts to retain power through the end of the year.
The main items of the passed bill are:Third round of reliefSimilar measures will be taken in parts of western North Carolina damaged by Hurricane Helen in late September, but there will also be significant steps to limit the power of the office that Democrats will control in the new year. .
The bill allocates $227 million from the state's savings reserve to a hurricane relief fund, which is significantly less than the amount provided in the first two installments, and legislation not related to storm relief. We also cover some other aspects of. stormdamaged the record It is estimated that the state has more than $50 billion.killed over 100 people.
But some critics say the aid is a smokescreen and that the bill's real purpose is to erode the power of top state officials.
The most notable changes would strip additional powers from the governor's office and the attorney general's office, both of which are scheduled to be controlled by Democrats in 2025. Congress has already limited the authority of the governor Make plans early this year.
The bill would authorize the governor to appoint members of the State Board of Elections to serve as state auditors. The next governor will be Josh Stein, a Democrat, and the next state auditor will be Republican Dave Boreek.
It would also limit the attorney general's authority, particularly when handling out-of-state cases. The bill prohibits the state government from representing positions that violate any statute passed by the state Legislature. Democrat Jeff Jackson will be the attorney general, and Congress will be controlled by Republicans.
The bill also shortens the time allotted for counting absentee ballots, removes the requirement that absentee ballots be received before counting on Election Day, and allows the state superintendent to challenge a charter school review board's decision. It also includes initiatives such as abolishing authority.
The News & Observer, a North Carolina news organization, reported that the bill: written in secret It will move quickly without a committee hearing. The newspaper reported that the House of Representatives began debating the bill less than an hour after it was published.
The News & Observer reported that more than an hour before the session began, the general gallery was filled with onlookers, some with placards reading “Stop the power grab” and others reading “Western North Carolina deserves it. He pointed out that some people were holding placards that read “. I felt really relieved. ”
