The Far-Right Supermajority Overrides Two of Gov. Cooper’s Vetoes
Pro-polluter legislators have overridden Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes of two anti-environmental bills. One of the bills (HB 198) increases deforestation of publicly-owned trees along state highways. The other bill (HB 237) opens a path for big polluters to channel unlimited funds into North Carolina political campaigns without public disclosure.
Override House Bill 198 Veto
In his veto message of HB 198, Cooper said, “Protecting North Carolina’s beauty should be a top priority, but this legislation allows tree cutting and destruction of native plants around billboards. In February, I signed Executive Order 305, which sets comprehensive goals for restoring and protecting natural areas, prioritizing native plants and planting one million trees. North Carolina’s scenic landscapes are one of the reasons why our state just broke records with our tourism economy, and why we have one of the most beautiful places in the world to live.”
NCLCV reviews HB 198’s destructive provisions in more detail here.
Override House Bill 237 Veto
In his veto message of HB 237, Cooper said, “This legislation creates a gaping loophole for secret, unlimited campaign money in the middle of an election year. While voters are kept in the dark, this scheme allows anonymous out-of-state billionaires to flood North Carolina with campaign contributions to rescue extreme right-wing candidates that Republicans now fear will lose.”
Read more on HB 237 here.
We joined 19 other public interest groups advocating for the veto of HB 237, on the grounds that Cooper named in his statement. See a list of the organizations here.
Our Answer
The failure of legislators to uphold these two important vetoes of pro-polluter, anti-democracy legislation can only be answered with our votes this fall. It is essential to elect a governor and attorney general who are pro-environment and pro-climate-action. It is equally important to send enough environmental champions to our state legislature to end the unfettered power of the current pro-polluter super majority.
