NC House Republicans override Stein veto on education tax-break bill

North Carolina lawmakers are advancing an effort to give tax breaks to people who donate to educational scholarship programs. Republicans in the House today overrode Governor Josh Stein's veto of a bill to help make it happen. The Senate will have the final say. WRAL state government reporter Caroline Yaffa breaks down the debate at the legislature -- and the politics driving the vote.
Posted 5/20/2026, 9:42:57 PM

DEMANDING THEIR KEYS. HE'S IN

JAIL WITHOUT BOND.

>> NORTH CAROLINA LAWMAKERS ARE

ADVANCING AN EFFORT TO GIVE TAX

BREAKS TO PEOPLE WHO TO

EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP

PROGRAMS. REPUBLICANS IN THE

HOUSE TODAY OVERRODE GOVERNOR

JOSH STEIN'S VETO OF A BILL TO

HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN. THE SENATE

WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY WRAL'S

A GOVERNMENT REPORTER. CAROLINE

JAAFAR BREAKS DOWN THE DEBATE

AT THE LEGISLATURE AND THE

POLITICS DRIVING THE VOTE.

>> THE LEGISLATION IS TIED TO

A NEW FEDERAL TAX CREDIT

PROGRAM THAT REWARDS DONATIONS

TO SCHOLARSHIP KURDS FOR NORTH

CAROLINIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN

THE PROGRAM. LAWMAKERS NEEDED

TO ADJUST STATE LAW TO ALIGN

WITH A NEW FEDERAL LAW SUPPORTS

PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS CHARTER

SCHOOL STUDENTS, PRIVATE SCHOOL

STUDENTS AND HOMESCHOOL

STUDENTS. DEMOCRATIC OPPONENTS

WORRY CONGRESSIONAL LAWMAKERS

WILL PAY FOR THE TAX BREAKS

BY SLASHING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

FROM FEDERAL EDUCATION FUNDING

TO THE TABLE FOR WHEN STUDENTS

AND THEN THEY MADE PUBLIC

EDUCATION

A TRIPLE M'S ARE BETTER ONES

TO LET FAMILY. AND THE SOURCES

ARE WAITING FOR HIM ON THIS AND

OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOLS. GOVERNOR

JOSH STEIN ACTUALLY SUPPORTED

OPTING INTO THIS PROGRAM.

HE WANTS TO USE IT TO BENEFIT

PUBLIC SCHOOLS SOMEHOW. BUT

SIGN OR VETO THE BILL BECAUSE

HE WANTED TO WAIT UNTIL THE

FEDERAL TREASURY DEPARTMENT

CREATED RULES FOR IT AND IT

HASN'T YET REPUBLICANS PASSED

THIS BILL OVER A YEAR AGO, BUT

HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH VOTES TO

OVERRIDE SIGNS VETO UNTIL

TODAY. IT HOUSES OVER IN THE

GOVERNOR'S VETO. REPUBLICANS

CONTROL THE HOUSE, BUT THEY

NEEDED HELP FROM TO X DEMOCRATS

TO APPROVE THE OVERRIDE THE

DEAL. NOW HEADS TO THE SENATE

FOR A FINAL OVERRIDE VOTE.

VOTING TO SEE FROM A G AND

CARLA CUNNINGHAM VOTED WITH

REPUBLICANS TODAY AND THEY BOTH

LOST THEIR DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES

EARLIER THIS YEAR TO CANDY TO

CRITICIZE THEM FOR VOTING WITH

REPUBLICANS ON VETO OVERRIDES.

>> CAROLINE, YOU OFF A WRAL

NEWS, RALEIGH.

>> THEIR VOTES TODAY WILL BE

WATCHED CLOSELY BY POLITICAL

INSIDERS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE

HOUSE HAS SEVERAL OTHER VETOED

BILLS THAT IT COULD STILL TAKE