Anti-democracy legislation looks popular in the NC General Assembly this year. Legislation stripping our elected Attorney General of his ability to represent the best interests of NC citizens and legislation criminalizing voter registration drives advanced last week in the state legislature.
SB 58, AG/Restrict Challenge to Presidential EOs
The biggest step came on Senate Bill 58, “AG/Restrict Challenge to Presidential EOs”, which was brought to the Senate floor in a surprise move on March 5, and was subsequently approved on a party-line 28-17 vote. (All Republicans present voted “yes” and all Democrats present voted “no”.) As we’ve detailed previously, this bill would block Attorney General Jeff Jackson from making or joining in any legal challenge to a presidential executive order.
The immediate effect—and clearly the intended purpose of the bill—would be to prevent environmental champion Jackson from fighting executive order abuses by the most pro-polluter president in American history, Trump.
Opponents blasted the bill as a dangerous concentration of power by the pro-polluter legislative leaders of the NC Senate. “Unchecked power, whether held by a Republican or a Democrat, is a threat to democracy,” said Senator Mujtaba Mohammed (D-Mecklenburg). “If you pass this bill today, this body risks setting a dangerous precedent that limits our state’s ability to push back against federal policies that undermine our industries, our economy, our rights and our values.”
Opponents also attacked the irrational deference to the abuses by an unchecked president. “With this bill we kneel to the president,” Sen. Terence Everitt (D-Granville) said. “And with this bill, North Carolina will always kneel.”
In a procedural protest move, the opponents of the legislation delayed the second and final vote to this week, so the bill must be approved again by the Senate before it can be sent to the House for consideration.
HB 127, Voter Registration Drive Form
Another dangerous anti-democracy bill, House Bill 127, “Voter Registration Drive Form”, received a smaller boost last week when House leaders removed one committee from the bill’s review process. HB 127 criminalizes the traditional voter registration drive process, which makes actual state voter registration forms available directly to unregistered voters. In 2024, more than 217,000 North Carolina citizens registered to vote through these citizen-led voter registration drives, making up about 12% of the total NC electorate that year.
Take Action
Both of these outrageously anti-democracy bills are the subject of NCLCV citizen action alerts. Protect our democracy: Let your legislators know that you support democracy, separation of powers, and voting rights! Take action on SB 58 and HB 127.
