Weekly Wrap: Reopening veto, relaxing restrictions, delaying elections

Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill that would require schools to offer in-person classes to any student who wants them, saying the measure violates public health guidelines and hinders efforts to protect students and teachers during an emergency. Senate Republicans have promised a speedy override vote, but they may not have enough Democratic support to pull it off.

Meanwhile, a plan to require schools to offer 150 hours of summer school unanimously passed the House. The program is targeted at students at risk of failing, but they wouldn't be required to attend.

Cooper also relaxed pandemic-related restrictions this week, citing improving trends in the state's fight against the virus. He lifted a nightly curfew, allowed bars to serve customers indoors for the first time and allowed more fans to attend sporting events and concerts at indoor and outdoor venues.

Still, Republican lawmakers are pressing for even more fans at outdoor high school and college sporting events, saying his 30 percent capacity limit doesn't make sense when restaurants can have up to 50 percent capacity.

State Board of Elections officials asked lawmakers to delay municipal elections set for this fall until 2022 and push back congressional and legislative primaries to next May. Delays in census data needed to redraw voting districts make it impossible for dozens of cities to carry out their elections in October and November, and state officials said it's best to hold all local elections next year.