by Frank Taylor, Carolina Public Press
July 23, 2025

Four days after Gov. Josh Stein vetoed a bill that would prolong detention of suspected undocumented immigrants, it appeared on the House calendar for a veto override vote. 

Hours later, after lawmakers debated and voted on dozens of other bills, House Bill 318 was the sole item remaining. The North Carolina state House adjourned without considering it. 

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A few weeks later, the bill appeared on the calendar again; as before, it was eventually withdrawn from consideration. 

House Speaker Destin Hall said onlookers should get used to this. Vetoed bills may linger on the day’s orders of business for a while, but from his perspective, it’s not a matter of whether lawmakers will override most of Stein’s vetoes — it’s a matter of when. 

Override math on vetoed bills

The 2024 legislative elections handed North Carolina Democrats a small but significant victory in the state House. They now hold just enough seats to block Republicans from a supermajority, which would be able to override the governor’s vetoes without any Democratic support. 

But the margins are slim. An absence or two could make all the difference. Several Democrats in swing districts voted for vetoed bills the first time around, and their support could be crucial in eventual veto override votes. 

Rep. Charles Smith, D-Cumberland, originally voted against the majority of his party on three ultimately vetoed bills. Now, he has to decide whether to sustain Stein’s vetoes or override them. 

He said that while Democratic leaders like the governor and House Minority Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham, haven’t “held his feet to the fire,” he feels the pressure regardless. 

“There is just pressure there inherently, if you’re standing on an island — not that I am by myself, but just being in that position,” Smith said. 

Smith joins a small group of House Democrats in the spotlight. Rep. Shelly Willingham, D-Edgecombe, is a swing voter on six vetoed bills. Rep. Carla Cunningham, D-Mecklenburg, will be a critical vote on five bills. Reps. Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford, and Nasif Majeed, D-Mecklenburg, may break with their party on a couple override votes, based on their voting record this session. 

All declined interviews for this story. 

It’s hard to predict how swing Democrats will vote, as they are keeping their cards close to their chest. But the legislature will next meet on Tuesday, July 29, and House Bill 318 is once again on the calendar. As are most of the other vetoed bills. 

“I would suspect, though, if I had to venture a guess, that there will be folks who will be inclined to sustain the vetoes,” Smith said.

So, what did Stein veto? 

Gov. Stein has vetoed 14 bills so far this session, ranging from legislation loosening gun laws, hardening immigration enforcement and eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in various areas. 

Gun bills

Republicans have a particularly steep override battle on two vetoed gun bills. 

The first, which would allow North Carolinians to concealed carry without a permit, not only failed to win any Democratic support, but garnered two Republican “no” votes in the state House the first go around. 

The bill also would lower the legal age for concealed carry from 21 to 18. 

Supporters say they want to fix a delay in the permitting process, and strengthen North Carolinians’ Second Amendment rights while they’re at it. 

Bill opponents say the age change and waiving of training requirements included in the concealed carry permit process will make North Carolinians less safe. Huntersville Mayor and former legislator Christy Clark said the bill is a threat to public safety in an Everytown for Gun Safety press call.

“This is not a recipe for freedom or safety,” she said. “It’s a recipe for more road rage, shootings, more gun thefts and more everyday arguments turning deadly.”

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood said the bill would put guns in the hands of younger adults who tend to take more risks without thinking through the consequences. 

“We have a process in place,” he said. “That process works, and if it doesn’t work, we need to address where it’s not working, rather than throwing the whole thing out.” 

The second vetoed gun bill would allow non-public school employees and volunteers to carry a firearm on campus with written permission and a concealed carry permit. 

Originally, Rep. Willingham was the sole Democrat aye. If he sticks with the Republican caucus on the veto override vote, the bill will become law. 

Immigration bills

Under current law, anyone detained in a jail might be asked about their immigration status and asked to present documentation if they’re charged with certain offenses. 

The Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act — House Bill 318 —  would expand the qualifying offenses to all felonies and impaired driving. Additionally, it would allow officials to detain people for up to 48 hours after their originally scheduled release if they have an ICE detainer or administrative warrant, to give time for an ICE officer to bring them into custody. 

In his veto message, Stein said he supports holding people who commit serious crimes accountable, but that it’s unconstitutional to detain people after they’re supposed to be released based on a suspected immigration violation. 

Originally, Rep. Cunningham voted for the bill. 

Another immigration bill, the North Carolina Border Protection Act, is under reconsideration. It would require several state law enforcement agencies to work with federal immigration officials to determine whether persons in their custody are legal citizens. 

It would also require several social service agencies to add verification processes ensuring no non-citizens can receive social services like unemployment insurance and housing benefits. Non-citizens are already barred under law from receiving these services. 

“The Republican-led General Assembly made it clear that harboring criminal illegal aliens will not be tolerated in our state,” Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger said after the bill originally passed. “It’s time for Gov. Josh Stein to show North Carolinians that he stands with them and supports the rule of law by swiftly signing this bill.”

Stein declined to do so. Instead, he vetoed the bill, saying it would take law enforcement away from their duties to act as immigration agents. 

The bill originally passed along party lines. 

Power Bill Reduction Act

The vehicle has changed, but the idea lives on — Senate Bill 266 was gutted of its original language and replaced with the text of Senate Bill 261, which would remove an interim 70% carbon reduction goal by 2034 on the way to electric public utility carbon neutrality by 2050.

It also allows electric public utilities to charge ratepayers higher rates during the construction of electric generating facilities, as opposed to waiting until after a facility is built and operating. 

Stein cited North Carolina State University research, which estimates that removing the interim target would significantly increase natural gas generation and ratepayer costs, in his veto message. 

The study predicts that natural gas generation would rise about 40% between 2030 and 2050 and ratepayers would pay $23 billion more in natural gas costs if the interim goal were removed. 

“This bill not only makes everyone’s utility bills more expensive, but it also shifts the cost of electricity from large industrial users onto the backs of regular people — families will pay more so that the industry pays less,” Stein wrote in his veto message. 

“Additionally, this bill walks back our state’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions, sending the wrong signal to businesses that want to be a part of our clean energy economy.” 

Originally, 11 House Democrats voted for the bill, including Cunningham, Willingham, Majeed and Smith. 

During the break, Smith asked questions about the original modeling, which bill sponsors said would result in $13 billion in savings. He also inquired about the reliability of the NC State study and the fluctuating costs of renewable energy and construction costs given national economic and environmental policy. 

“It’s very easy for sides to manipulate facts and arguments to suit their interests,” Smith said. “I like to try to get through some of that to make an ultimate decision that I think is impartial, and that can be hard.” 

Sen. Graig Meyer, D-Orange, said it’s fairly likely that lawmakers will override Stein’s veto, even after seeing the effects of climate-related disasters like Helene and Chantal.  

“Just getting down into the brass tacks of who’s most likely to override that veto, a lot of it was Charlotte-Mecklenburg folks, and a lot of that is because Duke Energy is their hometown company,” Meyer said. 

DEI bills

Three bills designed to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in public education, higher education and state agencies were passed by a Republican majority and swiftly vetoed. 

The bills begin by stating that “so-called ‘DEI’ programs promote a worldview that demands people, especially young students, judge others based on their race, sex or other factors and attack true diversity of thought, stifle opportunity and stoke division.” 

The educational bills eliminate DEI offices and positions, ban certain allegedly discriminatory practices, bar bias incident teams on college campuses and prohibit instruction on one of several “divisive concepts.”

These include the ideas that “an individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive” and “a meritocracy is inherently racist or sexist.” 

The state agency bill eliminates DEI programs and policies in hiring and benefits. 

Rep. Cunningham did not vote on the higher education DEI bill, while Rep. Majeed was absent for the public education bill. Otherwise, all three votes were along party lines. 

Other vetoed bills

Among the other vetoed bills are:

House Bill 805, which originally protected against revenge porn, but now includes several anti-trans measures. Rep. Dante Pittman, D-Wilson, was the only Democrat to originally vote for it. 

House Bill 402, which lowers the standard for General Assembly review of agency rule changes. Three House Democrats initially voted for it. 

Senate Bill 254, which would shift power over certain charter school decisions from the Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction to the charter school review board. Nine House Democrats supported the bill. 

House Bill 549, which gives the Republican state auditor greater access to databases and digital records of not only state agencies, but any publicly funded group that receives some state or federal funding. Only Rep. Willingham voted to support the measure.

House Bill 96, a squatting bill that includes an unrelated measure allowing puppy mills to exist. Many Democrats originally voted yes. 

And finally, Senate Bill 416, which would ban government agencies from releasing the donors or nonprofit organizations. Three Democrats voted for it the first time. 

This article first appeared on Carolina Public Press and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Vetoed NC bills could be overridden. Democrat swing votes critical. appeared first on carolinapublicpress.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This article presents a factual, detailed account of legislative events, focusing on the political dynamics around vetoes by Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, and the Republican-led legislature’s responses. The coverage highlights progressive concerns such as opposition to loosening gun laws, immigrant detention, and the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, framing these issues largely through the perspectives of Democratic lawmakers and allied voices. While it reports on Republican positions, the tone and selection of sources lean toward a critical view of conservative policies, reflecting a center-left stance without overt partisan rhetoric.

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by Kate Denning, Carolina Public Press
July 22, 2025

The most recent Helene recovery package from the state allocated $500 million to help address remaining damage to Western North Carolina, more than $4 million of which went to small private colleges and universities in the area. Even so, Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, which says it sustained $12 million in damages, yet was not on the receiving end of any financial aid from the state.

The Swannanoa Valley in eastern Buncombe County experienced significant flooding from Helene with the river cresting at 26.1 feet, the highest point since 1916. Warren Wilson Provost and Dean of the Faculty Jay Roberts said 60 campus buildings experienced either roof or flood damage. FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers helped remove 70,000 cubic yards of debris at the school. The campus did not have drinking or running water for a substantial amount of time, he said.

Warren Wilson President Damián J. Fernández issued a statement voicing his disappointment with the legislation’s exclusion of the college. He asked lawmakers to reconsider providing support when the legislature reconvenes later this month. 

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Montreat College, located just 12 miles east of Warren Wilson, also experienced significant damage. Its gymnasium was the most impacted, and the college estimated it would take up to eight months to restore. Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk described its damage as moderate to Carolina Public Press in October. Three of its buildings were damaged by fallen trees, including a residence hall. 

But Montreat and Lees-McRae each received $1.5 million in the latest relief package. In addition, Mars Hill University received $500,000. Brevard College, Gardner-Webb University and Lenoir-Rhyne University each received $250,000. 

And despite initially being allocated $1.5 million when the House appropriations committee introduced the bill in May, Warren Wilson ultimately received nothing in the final version. 

State representatives in the area are saying the change-up was a political move. 

When the package was on the floor for a vote June 26, when it ultimately passed unanimously, state Rep. Lindsey Prather, D-Buncombe, pointed out Warren Wilson’s lack of funding. Prather represents the 115th district, where Warren Wilson resides.

“I’m confused and I’m disappointed and I’m very frustrated,” Prather said on the floor. “It certainly feels like the institutions in Buncombe — which as a whole, received the most amount of damage — are being carved out of this bill. I hope that this isn’t politicization of recovery. It’s hard not to read it that way.”

In addition to the lack of funding to Warren Wilson, Prather said an aspect of the funding allocated to the larger public universities also struck her as odd. 

Western Carolina University and Appalachian State University both received $2 million, whereas UNC-Asheville, also located in Buncombe County, has to share its $2 million with the North Carolina Arboretum. The arboretum is an affiliate of the UNC System, but is not directly under UNC-Asheville or any individual institution. 

Seeing as Montreat, a conservative religious college that is also located in Buncombe County, Prather told CPP these disparities make it seem as though institutions that are perceived as more progressive are being treated unfairly. 

While Warren Wilson is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and a member of the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities, Roberts said he would describe the school as one with a historic religious affiliation rather than a religious college. 

Warren Wilson was one of eight private colleges and universities included in the original bill proposed by the House. Johnson C. Smith University, an HBCU in Charlotte, was also initially positioned to receive $500,000 but was later removed. While Charlotte did not get the brunt of the storm, JCSU reported it had to close a residence hall due to water damage from Helene, leading the university to relocate more than 200 students. 

When the legislation made its way to the Senate, all higher education institutions were stripped from the bill entirely. It wasn’t until the bill landed in the conference committee, a temporary joint committee created for the House and Senate to work out the bodies’ differences on a piece of legislation, that the six private schools and three UNC System schools made it in the final cut. 

The conference committee was composed of four Republican representatives and four Republican senators. None of them responded to multiple requests for comment from CPP.

Prather said the makeup of the committee was disappointing but not surprising based on the current leadership in the legislature.

“Republican leaders in the legislature were the first to say that we all need to pull together for Western North Carolina and we can’t politicize this, we all need to support our brothers and sisters,” she said. “And then they go and form a conference committee with only Republicans, including some Republicans that don’t live in Western North Carolina.”

State Rep. Eric Ager, D-Buncombe, represented Warren Wilson in past iterations of the state’s districts. Now the college falls under Prather’s jurisdiction, but it wasn’t easy for her to get there. 

Ager believes it’s Prather’s election that made Republicans strip Warren Wilson from the recovery package.

When North Carolina was redistricted in 2023, Republicans used what Ager called a “donut strategy,” leaving Asheville as its own district in the middle and drawing two districts that lean more conservative, the 114th and 115th, around the city. Despite the 115th district appearing to be a Republican stronghold, Prather won the seat by a tight margin in 2024. 

It’s hard to see any other reason why Warren Wilson was left out of Helene funding than politics, Ager said. 

“That’s the only reason I can think of that makes Warren Wilson different, because the reality of it is they suffered a lot more damage than the other schools that were on the list,” he said.

Warren Wilson leaders were surprised by the college’s exclusion because the school’s communication and relationships with lawmakers were positive throughout the storm and recovery efforts, Roberts said. They don’t want to speculate on why Warren Wilson was cut, and they’re still working to get answers several weeks later.

The college is attempting to be sensitive in the way it lifts up concerns about being excluded, Roberts said. He hopes all Americans understand that natural disasters are not political events.

“Natural disasters are when every American — regardless of where they come from, what their political affiliation is — gets support because we come together as a country during times like this,” he said. 

“I think that should be an understood, baseline expectation for everyone in whatever region of the country you come from, and that’s certainly our expectation here.”

While the storm had a great impact on Warren Wilson, Roberts emphasized the impact Warren Wilson has on the state — 40% of their students are from North Carolina, another 40% are Pell Grant eligible and the college’s presence contributes $50 million to North Carolina’s economy, he said.

Ager and Prather both said they hope proposed funding for Warren Wilson will be revisited, though they aren’t sure it would be a successful endeavor.

“I always worry that they’re going to make a political decision rather than a common sense policy decision,” Ager said.

This article first appeared on Carolina Public Press and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Warren Wilson left out of NC Helene bill. Reason unclear. appeared first on carolinapublicpress.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This article presents a critical perspective on the state legislature’s handling of disaster relief funding, highlighting potential political motivations behind the exclusion of Warren Wilson College from aid. The coverage emphasizes concerns from Democratic state representatives and affected institutions, framing Republican-led decisions as possibly partisan and unfair. The tone leans toward advocacy for equitable aid and accountability in government, common in Center-Left reporting, but it maintains factual reporting and quotes multiple viewpoints without overt ideological rhetoric. Thus, it exhibits a moderate left-leaning bias focused on social fairness and government oversight.