Senate Successfully Overrides Six Vetoes

Raleigh, N.C. — Today, Senate Republicans overrode six of Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes, ensuring the bills become law despite his objections. The bills are as follows:

• The “Parents’ Bill of Rights” strengthens the rights of parents in regard to the education of their children. The bill also ensures age-appropriate material is being taught to the youngest students, and keeps parents informed on the well-being of their children.
• Washington Post-KFF: 77% of adults think it’s inappropriate for teachers to discuss trans identity in public schools with students in K-3.
• The “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” bans biological men from competing in women’s sports.
• GALLUP: 69% of Americans say transgender athletes should only be allowed to compete on sports teams that conform with their birth gender.
• “Gender Transition/Minors” bans gender-reassignment surgery, puberty blockers, and cross-sex hormones for minors.
• Washington Post-KFF: 68% of adults oppose children ages 10–14 having access to puberty-blocking medication under medical supervision.
• House Bill 488 creates a more balanced Residential Code Council and aims to save homebuilders thousands of dollars in construction costs.
• House Bill 618 gives more authority over charter schools in North Carolina to the Charter Schools Review Board.
• House Bill 219, the “Charter School Omnibus” makes various changes to laws affecting charter schools, including removing growth restrictions and allowing counties to use property taxes to fund charter school capital needs.

Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance) on the override of Senate Bill 49, the “Parents’ Bill of Rights”: “Democrats want to keep North Carolina’s education system shielded from parental accountability. They want to use our schools to advance their partisan, political agenda instead of working to improve student outcomes. The ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’ fights back against those efforts. It increases accessibility to what’s being taught in our schools, notifies parents of the well-being of their children, and keeps school curriculum focused on core subjects.”

Sen. Vickie Sawyer (R-Iredell) on the override of House Bill 574, the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act”: “So-called feminists will tell you that in order to have full equality, women need to sacrifice the spaces they fought so hard to secure. That is unequivocally false. We must take a stand now to protect women, otherwise, Democrats will do everything they can to eviscerate every even playing field women have. Our daughters should not be forced to compete against biological men and overriding Gov. Cooper’s veto of this legislation ensures our daughters do not have to worry about that.”

Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Forsyth) on the override of House Bill 808, “Gender Transition/Minors”: “In some of the most liberal parts of the country, children are allowed to permanently alter their bodies with off-label drugs for the purpose of changing their sex. While Republicans are protecting minors from such absurd open-door policies, Democrats are siding with the furthest left of their base and putting politics ahead of documented medical risks and consequences. We need to take a cautious approach and limit access to these life-altering medical procedures, and today’s vote to override Gov. Cooper’s veto does just that.”