House votes to override two vetoes

The state House on Thursday narrowly approved motions to override Gov. Roy Cooper's vetoes on two bills, delaying potential overrides on three other measures until next week.

Posted 7:34 p.m. Aug 24, 2017 — Updated 5:47 p.m. Jul 13, 2018

Matthew Burns

RALEIGH, N.C. — The state House on Thursday narrowly approved motions to override Gov. Roy Cooper's vetoes on two bills, delaying potential overrides on three other measures until next week.

Lawmakers voted 72-43 to override the veto of House Bill 140, which would expand the ability for lenders to tack credit property insurance onto loans in case borrowers cannot repay.

Rep. John Szoka, R-Cumberland, said he didn't like the way the credit insurance provision was tacked onto legislation dealing with dental insurance in the waning days of the legislative session, but he said there's nothing sinister about allowing credit insurance on all-terrain vehicles and other items not generally considered "household property."

"The objection to this that it's going to cost people more is incorrect," Szoka said.

But Rep. Deb Butler, D-New Hanover, said consumer advocates universally consider credit insurance "predatory in nature," driving up the overall price of items and often ruining the credit of people who have poor credit already.

"It preys on poor people," Butler told fellow House members. "This is not a responsible way to build credit."

The House also voted 71-44 to override the veto of House Bill 770, in which the legislature gave itself two appointments to the state Medical Board. The measure also included a provision that allows a former general counsel for the state Republican Party, who is now a full-time employee at the North Carolina Industrial Commission, to draw additional salary for serving on the state Property Tax Commission.

Rep. Darren Jackson, D-Wake, criticized both provisions, noting letting one person collect pay for two state jobs – that's normally forbidden – is unfair to all other state workers. He added that no reason have been given for the need to shift the Medical Board appointments from the government to lawmakers.

Override votes require support of three-fifths of the lawmakers present, which set the threshold Thursday at 69 because only 115 of the 120 House members were present.

Both measures now move to the Senate.

House Speaker Tim Moore moved three other potential override votes to Monday:

House Bill 205, which would roll back state requirements that various legal notices run in a local newspaper
House Bill 511, which would allow nonprofits to hold casino night fundraisers
House Bill 576, which would allow landfills to spray collected wastewater into the air over the dump to evaporate the liquid

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