Lawmakers schedule veto overrides on DEI, school choice bills for September

State lawmakers convened for a brief session this week in which they were scheduled to consider veto overrides on several bills, but the sessions ended without the overrides being taken up. Instead, lawmakers have now scheduled the override session for late September.

Bills on the state House side that were scheduled for consideration included three measures — House Bill 171, Senate Bill 227, and Senate Bill 558 — designed to curb the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion agenda in K-12 education, higher education, and in state and local government.

Under SB 558, public colleges and universities would be required to eliminate offices and staff dedicated to DEI initiatives. The bill prohibits promoting “divisive concepts,” such as the idea of systemic racism or moral culpability based on race or gender. Institutions would be barred from requiring faculty, staff, or students to affirm any DEI-based beliefs. Additionally, the measure would eliminate processes for reporting incidents described as “offensive or unwanted speech.”

Similarly, HB 171 bars state agencies from promoting, supporting, funding, or maintaining DEI programs, including in hiring, staffing, or training. Moreover, the measure prohibits state agencies, local governments, and nonstate entities from using state funds for DEI initiatives, and from applying for federal funds that require DEI compliance.

The measure also directs the state auditor to conduct compliance audits, with violations resulting in possible removal from office or employment and a potential class 1 misdemeanor charge

SB 227 aims to remove DEI offices, staff, and divisive concepts from schools, ensuring education focuses on a core curriculum without promoting ideologies deemed inconsistent with equality.

The legislation outlines 12 divisive concepts, such as the belief that one race or sex is inherently superior to another, the idea that meritocracy is inherently racist or sexist, and the belief that the United States was founded to oppress certain groups.

Gov. Josh Stein’s vetoes of SB 558 and SB 227 have been overridden in the state Senate, where Republicans have a veto-proof majority. But in the House, the GOP needs at least one Democrat to side with them to overcome the veto. In the initial House votes approving each measure, no Democrats voted for the DEI bills. No Democrat has publicly pledged to join Republicans in overriding the vetoes.

Shortly before the veto overrides were scheduled for Monday, the NC Legislative Black Caucus put out a press release claiming “full commitment” from all 41 members to vote to sustain the vetoes on the DEI bills.

“If enacted, these bills would tear down the programs and policies that help create equitable opportunities in schools, workplaces, and state agencies, and they would send a message to every Black North Carolinian and community of color that their voices, experiences, and futures do not matter,” the release stated.

However, Democrats are unlikely to maintain unity on at least one other education-related bill that lawmakers are scheduled to take up when they return to Raleigh on Sept. 22. A veto override vote on House Bill 87 already has the public backing of at least one Democrat — Rep. Shelly Willingham of Edgecombe County — according to a report at WRAL.com. Willingham has already sided with the GOP to override vetoes on six other bills this year. Willingham was one of two House Democrats who supported HB 87 when it initially cleared the House.

The measure would enable North Carolina to take part in a federal tax-credit program authorized under the Big Beautiful Bill Act recently enacted by Congress. The program would be associated with contributions made by individuals to designated Scholarship Granting Organizations, which in turn issue stipends to students for private school expenses, including tuition and other allowable costs.

A key feature is that donors receive a dollar-for-dollar reduction in their income taxes, effectively making the donation cost-free. Taxpayers could donate up to $1,700 per year.

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