The veto override votes could start as early as Tuesday, July 29! Contact your lawmakers today. 

Earlier this year, we shared information about the reproductive rights and equality bills we were watching during the 2025 North Carolina legislative “long session.” After a flurry of bill introductions early in the session, of both good and bad bills, we provided updates on which of the bills passed the legislative hurdle known as “crossover” in May, when a bill has to pass in at least one chamber to still be considered viable for the remainder of the session.

We and our partners are grateful that Governor Stein vetoed so many of the bad bills that have come across his desk in these last few weeks. Not able to take the loss and respect the politically divided government North Carolina voters choose in 2024, however, legislative leadership is busy preparing for veto override votes in the coming weeks. 

As a reminder of the veto process in our state:

• While the Governor has 10 days to veto or sign a bill that comes to his desk, the legislature can take up a veto override vote at any time during the current legislative session, even if that is months from the veto.
• A veto override requires both chambers to vote to override the veto
  • This requires a “yes” vote to override a veto by three-fifths of the lawmakers present for a vote, rather than a simple majority.
• Based on the political makeup of both chambers, the NC Senate currently has the three-fifths “supermajority” necessary to override a veto, while the NC House supermajority is short by one vote.
  • This calculation is based on the assumption all members of the GOP will vote to override the Governor’s veto, while all Democrats will vote to uphold the veto.
  • This does not always happen, and if votes occur when not all members are present the calculation of required votes will change.
• The North Carolina Senate veto override votes are scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, while the North Carolina House can call or cancel veto override votes with little notice, usually because they are trying to count votes with who is present in the chamber. 

The NC House is expected to come back in session, including attempting to override the Governor’s vetoes, as soon as Tuesday, July 29. As mentioned above, even though veto override votes may be on the calendar, they may or may not happen. But none of these tactics should prevent us from calling on lawmakers to uphold the vetoes of harmful bills. Governor Stein vetoed the following awful anti-immigrant, anti-equality, and anti-LGBTQ bills—SB153, HB318, HB171, SB227, SB558, HB805 (read more about them below)—and we and our partners want to see these vetoes upheld. 

We encourage our supporters to contact their lawmakers TODAY to demand they uphold these vetoes. If you need some guidance in contacting legislators, you can go to our Take Action page and download the slideshow for our advocacy training. Always remember to share:

• Your name, your city/town, and that you are a constituent.
• What you want the legislator to do. In this case, it’s to uphold Governor Stein’s vetoes of SB153, HB318, HB171, SB227, SB558, and HB805.
• Why this issue is important to you (e.g., you want equal opportunities for all, you support immigrant communities, etc.)
• Reiterate what you want the legislator to do.
• You can also share your priorities for the legislature: Disaster recovery, fully funding public schools, ensuring access to healthcare, passing a state budget, etc. 

It’s good practice to both call and email your lawmakers. On our Take Action page you can find a link to look up the office phone numbers of your state lawmakers, and our online tool to email both your NC Senator and Representative. You can also find links to other actions you can take, like contacting the Governor or writing a letter to the editor. We encourage you to raise your voice as many ways as you can!

Further Reading:

• Senate Bill 153 North Carolina Border Protection Act
• House Bill 318 The Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act
• House Bill 171 Anti-DEI in State Agencies Bill
• Senate Bill 227 Eliminating "DEI" in Public Education
• Senate Bill 558 Eliminating "DEI" in Public Higher Ed
• House BIll 805 Prevent Sexual Exploitation/Women and Minors