Today Governor Roy Cooper vetoed three bills approved by the North Carolina General Assembly. Two of those were House Bill 220 (Choice of Energy/Add’l Provisions) and Senate Bill 725: Prohibit Private Money in Elections Admin.
House Bill 220 would prohibit local governments from adopting any ordinance that prohibits connection, reconnection, modification, or expansion of an energy service based on the type or source of energy to be delivered to the end-user of the energy service; and (2) expand an exemption from public records for detailed plans and drawings of public buildings and infrastructure facilities, and add a new exemption for specific engineering, vulnerability, or detailed design information about proposed or existing critical infrastructure for energy, water, and wastewater utilities.
Senate Bill 725 would prohibit the State Board of Elections, county boards of elections, and county boards of commissioners from accepting private monetary donations, directly or indirectly, for conducting elections or employing individuals on a temporary basis.
Rep. Dean Arp (R-Union) said, “House Bill 220 specifically addresses energy choices for consumers, leaving household decisions like whether or not to have a gas stove in their home to consumers themselves. The heavy hand of government has no place in the personal decisions North Carolinians make for their households.”
North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore said, “Governor Cooper again fails to provide a substantive reason for vetoing common sense legislation.”
He continued, “Energy choice and ensuring our elections process is not in any way influenced by outside individuals– the bills vetoed today address the concerns of consumers and voters across all of North Carolina. Unfortunately the Governor prefers partisanship over common sense.”
