State legislature to return July 29 for veto override votes

The North Carolina Senate and House will reconvene on Tuesday, July 29, aiming to override multiple vetoes issued by Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, who took office in January. In total, Stein has vetoed 14 bills from the state legislature this year. Each chamber will review seven of those vetoes, sending them across to the other chamber if overridden.

Senate Leader Phil Berger, R–Rockingham, sharply criticized Stein’s vetoes in a press release out on Monday.

“By vetoing these commonsense bills, Gov. Stein confirms that he is out of touch with the people of North Carolina,” Berger said. “He tolerates criminal illegal aliens roaming our streets, divisive ‘DEI’ concepts in our schools, and government infringement on our Second Amendment rights. I look forward to leading Senate Republicans in overriding these harmful vetoes and putting North Carolina families first.”

With Republicans holding a supermajority in the North Carolina Senate and just one vote short in the House, overriding Stein’s vetoes will require full attendance and support from at least one House Democrat.

NC SENATE’S VETOES Bills

The following vetoed bills are on the Senate’s July 29 calendar for override consideration:

1. SB 50 — Freedom to Carry NC allows permitless concealed carry of handguns for adults aged 18 and over. It passed Senate 26–18. The House later followed suit, passing it 107-59, with no House Democrats voting in favor.
2. SB 153 — North Carolina Border Protection Act mandates cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and empowers residents to sue local governments that adopt “sanctuary” policies. Passed Senate 26–17, and the House voted 106-46, with no House Democrats voting for it.
3. SB 227 — Eliminating DEI in Public K–12 Education would prohibit DEI offices and diversity trainings in public schools by targeting “divisive concepts” like race-based meritocracy. No House Democrats voted to pass it.
4. SB 558 — Eliminating DEI in Public Higher Education prohibits DEI offices and statements in UNC System campuses and community colleges. It passed the Senate on party lines. Opponents argue it “chills” free speech, while supporters say it combats divisive campus practices. No House Democrats voted to pass it.
5. SB 254 — Charter School Changes expands charter-school authority by empowering the Charter Schools Review Board. The Board of Education criticized the measure as unconstitutional. The bill passed both chambers, with eight House Democrats voting in favor.
6. SB 266 — Power Bill Reduction Act repeals North Carolina’s interim 2030 carbon-reduction mandate, projected to save consumers $15 billion by eliminating costly compliance measures. It passed Senate 29–11. The House also approved, with three House Democrats voting in favor.
7. SB 416 — Personal Privacy Protection Act bars state agencies from collecting or disclosing nonprofit donor data, imposing penalties on officials who disclose. Senate passed it, but Stein vetoed, citing unrelated amendments. GOP lawmakers argued it protects free speech. Three House Democrats voted in favor of the bill.

NC House’s vetoed bills

On the House side, lawmakers will consider the following vetoed bills for an override:

HB 193 — Firearms Law Revisions: This bill passed both chambers, with the House concurring with changes made by the Senate. The final House vote was 61-46, with one Democrat voting in favor.

HB 96 — Expedited Removal of Unauthorized Persons: Stein vetoed the bill, stating that while he generally supported its core provisions, he opposed an added amendment that increased regulation of pet stores. The bill received bipartisan support, with 17 House Democrats joining Republicans to pass the measure.

HB 805— Prevent Sexual Exploitation/Women and Minors defines sex in state law based on biological attributes and bars K-12 schools from placing male and female students in the same sleeping quarters. It also prohibits state funds for gender transition procedures in correctional facilities and increases the statute of limitations on lawsuits for transition surgeries to 10 years. One House Democrat voted in favor.

HB 171 —Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion bans diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in state government agencies. No House Democrats voted to support this bill.

HB 549 — Clarify Powers of State Auditor would give the auditor broader access to state agencies’ databases, digital records, facilities, and property. One Democrat voted in favor.

HB 402 —  Limit Rules With Substantial Financial Costs: Originally called the REINS Act, this bill would require greater legislative scrutiny for rules that impose high financial costs on state businesses and residents. Three House Democrats voted in favor of the bill.

HB 318 —  The Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act tightens the timeline on the law mandating that law enforcement alert ICE before an illegal alien criminal suspect is scheduled to be released. This is one of two bills that the House Republican Caucus is focused on to target politically vulnerable Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms. One House Democrat voted in favor of the bill.

School Choice on the AgendA

Lawmakers also plan to introduce implementing legislation tied to the federal school-choice tax credit included in the One Big Beautiful Bill. It could mean big news for North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship program, which lawmakers expanded last year to now serve more than 30,000 families.

The new federal credit offers individuals a dollar-for-dollar reduction of up to $1,700 for donations to approved scholarship organizations. Bill writers say it is designed to expand private funding for K–12 tuition assistance. By aligning with the program, lawmakers could increase scholarship funding without drawing on additional state resources.

What to Watch

Successful overrides would represent a significant political win for the GOP-led General Assembly. While Stein and the legislature have so far focused on hurricane recovery efforts, the high-veto precedent set by Stein’s predecessor and political mentor, Gov. Roy Cooper, could reignite partisan tensions as the state looks ahead to the 2026 elections.

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