McCrory vetoes changes to unemployment insurance law

McCrory said in a statement Tuesday that he was unhappy with the legislature's changes to a three-member Board of Review, which he has the power to appoint. The measure would stagger and shorten terms of current members, who he says have performed their duties well.

"Although the vast majority of this bill contains much needed revisions to unemployment insurance laws, there are unacceptable provisions which stagger and shorten terms of current lawfully seated members," McCrory said. "I appointed these members following a previous legislative directive that did not require confirmation for initial appointees."

Legislators and the McCrory administration have been feuding for months over the board, which reviews decisions the agency makes about the awarding of unemployment benefits.

In its unemployment reform bill last year, the legislature directed McCrory to appoint the board. But the appointments were months late.

Assistant Commerce Secretary Dale Folwell, who heads the Division of Employment Security, told an oversight committee early this year he didn't think the board was necessary.

McCrory did eventually appoint the three members, but state House and Senate leaders argued that, because he had not appointed them by the date given in the bill, they were free to change the rules for those appointments and give themselves the power to confirm or reject his nominees.

McCrory issued the veto Tuesday afternoon, sending the bill back to the General Assembly, which can override the veto if each chamber has enough votes.

This is McCrory's third veto since taking office 17 months ago. The legislature overrode the other two last year.