Republicans in the North Carolina state Assembly voted Wednesday to override Democratic Governor Josh Stein’s veto of four bills aimed at tightening restrictions on illegal immigration and limiting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within state agencies and educational institutions.
Despite being one seat shy of the supermajority required for a House veto override, Republicans benefitted from the absence of Democratic state Representatives Shelley Willingham and Carla Cunningham—who has now declared herself an independent. Their absence on Wednesday, despite their earlier attendance at a Rules Committee meeting, allowed Republicans to secure the three-fifths majority necessary to proceed. Neither Representative Willingham nor Representative Cunningham responded immediately to requests for comment, nor did Governor Stein’s office.
The four bills in question—House Bill 171, Senate Bill 153, Senate Bill 227, and Senate Bill 558—initially passed through the Assembly along partisan lines, and Wednesday’s override vote mirrored this division. The Republican-controlled Senate has previously voted to override Stein’s vetoes on three bills introduced in that chamber, with a fourth bill addressing DEI initiatives anticipated for a vote next week.
Following the vote, New Hanover County Democratic Representative Deb Butler remarked on the situation, describing what she termed “invalid votes” as appearing “very sophisticated.”
In response to the mounting criticism, House Speaker Destin Hall announced a proposed voting calendar to enhance transparency regarding future legislative discussions.
He acknowledged that some Congressional members may disagree with the content of the bills but asserted that this disagreement should not cast doubt on the integrity of the voting process. “Frankly, this body has bent over backwards to let members of both parties know when we’re going to be here,” Hall stated. “And we’re here about two days a week.”
While the House did not override Governor Stein’s veto on Senate Bill 50, which would have permitted most adults to carry concealed handguns without a permit, notable Republican representatives William Brisson and Ted Davis had previously voiced their opposition to the bill when it passed last year.
House Democratic Leader Robert Reeves chose not to comment on the absences of Cunningham and Willingham, instead directing his criticism toward the Republicans for facilitating the vote. “If you’re short-sighted, all you’re doing is trying to protect the fact that you won, and you don’t want other people to win,” Reeves stated after the vote, expressing concern over the politicization of the government.
Hall, for his part, refrained from confirming whether he had communicated with the two absent lawmakers prior to the vote. Both will have faced scrutiny from Democrats due to their voting history last year, which contributed to their losses in the March primary elections. “You can talk to them. Of course, I was at the podium looking out, and they weren’t here today,” Hall remarked following the override, emphasizing the inevitability of proceeding with votes when the numbers aligned.
