North Carolina GOP lawmakers are one step closer to rolling out their legislative-session priorities into law before the year's end after the state House opted to override one of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's vetoes on Tuesday.
The vetoed bill contains significant funding for private school scholarship grants and a law compelling local sheriffs to comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — two issues that Republican leaders have repeatedly emphasized throughout this year's session. The House's override, which took place largely along party lines, is part of the General Assembly's multiday session this week that includes work such as providing more relief to western North Carolina communities still grappling with Hurricane Helene's aftermath.
The bill adds $463 million to the state's Opportunity Scholarship program this year, and would ramp up state funding for vouchers annually, to the tune of more than $6 billion over the next decade. It also includes $160 million to address enrollment growth in K-12 public schools and community colleges.
Most House Democrats railed against the private school scholarships and called on Republicans to focus on funding public schools and Helene recovery efforts. In a letter to lawmakers on Monday, Cooper, who is term-limited and leaves office come January, urged GOP legislators to do the same.
"The economy of Western North Carolina needs an infusion of funding now, not months from now," he said in the letter.
But Republicans say the legislation is necessary to quell lengthy waitlists. Last year, the GOP-controlled General Assembly removed income caps for the Opportunity Scholarship program, which led to skyrocketing demand and 55,000 waitlisted children. Both legislative chambers eventually agreed on a spending deal — the bill Cooper vetoed — in September to eliminate the state's waitlist.
"We do not need to set up a false choice between hurricane relief and public school funding and funding for the Opportunity Scholarship program," Mecklenburg County Republican Rep. Tricia Cotham said in support of the bill.
The bill also incorporates language to force North Carolina sheriffs to comply with ICE detainers — requests to hold inmates believed to be in the country illegally — and notify federal immigration agents. Under the new law, those inmates would be held up to 48 hours under a judicial official's order so they can be picked up by ICE agents.
The legislation comes on the back of President-elect Donald Trump's electoral victory earlier this month. His campaign stressed illegal immigration as a safety issue and promised mass deportations during his second term — which was referenced during House debate as a reason to support the bill.
"I hope you will take into consideration the overwhelming opinion shown by the voters again of this state and country in this past national election," Caldwell County Republican and bill sponsor Rep. Destin Hall said.
Advocates for public schools, undocumented immigrants speak out
Opponents to the bill, such as several advocates at an Every Child NC news conference earlier on Tuesday, voiced concern that the law would unfairly target immigrant communities in North Carolina.
"HB 10 is extremely harmful for the undocumented community, and especially children who are attending our public schools here, going to school in fear that their parents might be detained," said Brandy Sullivan, Southern Wake Liberal Ladies co-founder and a naturalized citizen from Mexico.
Others at the press conference argued the funding for vouchers for families to attend private schools could be better spent on raising teacher pay and funding in public schools.
"These folks will be getting a voucher that's four times larger than the $820 average raise teachers got last year. Something is absolutely wrong with our priorities, friends," said Yevonne Brannon of Public Schools First NC.
"It is also unconscionable that we are spending this much money on private schools when our schools in western North Carolina are suffering," said Taylor Cordes, a former Wake County teacher.
The Senate also needs to override Cooper's veto to have the legislation go into effect.
