Governor Stein has taken decisive action on a series of legislative bills, signing seven into law and vetoing three others. His decisions were accompanied by statements explaining his rationale.
In rejecting Senate Bill 266, Governor Stein emphasized the need to lower electricity costs for families and diversify the state’s energy sources. He stated, “This summer’s record heat and soaring utility bills has shown that we need to focus on lowering electricity costs for working families — not raising them.” An independent analysis suggested that this bill could increase costs for North Carolina ratepayers by up to $23 billion through 2050 due to higher fuel expenses. Governor Stein expressed concern that the bill would shift electricity costs from large industrial users onto regular consumers, potentially impacting family budgets while reducing the state’s commitment to carbon emission reduction.
Governor Stein also vetoed House Bill 549, citing concerns over privacy and cybersecurity. He remarked, “House Bill 549 would grant the Auditor sweeping access to the data and records of any private corporation that accepts any amount of state funding.” The governor warned that such measures could hinder efforts to attract businesses to North Carolina and expose personal information to increased risk of breaches.
Senate Bill 254 was similarly vetoed due to concerns about its constitutionality and impact on education governance. Governor Stein described it as “an unconstitutional infringement on the authority of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction,” noting that it could weaken accountability in charter schools.
On a more affirmative note, Governor Stein signed into law several other bills: House Bill 620, House Bill 928, House Bill 768, Senate Bill 472, Senate Bill 710, Senate Bill 690, and Senate Bill 387.
