North Carolina governor vetoes measures banning DEI, limiting trans rights

RALEIGH, N.C. (CN) — North Carolina Democratic Governor Josh Stein vetoed a slew of bills aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion efforts Thursday — but the measures might not be dead just yet.

The bills, which were passed by the state General Assembly, would have eliminated DEI efforts in public schools, public universities and state agencies. Stein’s vetoes signal clashes between his priorities as a first-term governor and those of the Republican legislature in what is a solidly purple state.

Republican supporters say that DEI measures promote a worldview that judges others based on their race or sex, enforcing stereotypes of bias, and stifles diversity of thought.

Should the Republican majority successfully override Stein’s veto, the K-12 public school system will prevent public school employees from teaching or being taught about “divisive concepts.”

Public schools wouldn’t be able to compel students or staff to affirm these divisive concepts, nor can they be taught to students. Schools are also barred from developing a diversity, equity and inclusion department or employing anyone to promote these concepts.

“Our diversity is our strength. We should not whitewash history, ban books, or treat our teachers with distrust and disdain. Rather than fearing differing viewpoints and cracking down on free speech, we should ensure our students can learn from diverse perspectives and form their own opinions,” Stein said in his veto message of Senate Bill 227.

Stein also vetoed a bill eliminating DEI in higher education — despite the North Carolina university system moving to repeal DEI policies in 2024 — which would bar state universities from having a DEI office, endorsing “divisive concepts” or teaching that values and privileges should be “ascribed to a race or sex or to an individual because of the individual’s race or sex.”

Stein also protested House Bill 171, which bars any state agencies from supporting DEI, factoring it into hiring and employment or offering inclusion training. State employees could be fined up to $5,000 for violations, and would be subject to removal from office or termination.

State agencies can’t retain and recruit staff without creating a welcoming work environment, Stein said in his veto message.

“We make our most effective decisions when there is a diverse set of perspectives around the table,” Stein said. “House Bill 171 is riddled with vague definitions yet imposes extreme penalties for unknowable violations.”

Stein also condemned House Bill 805, which initially began as a bipartisan measure to combat the sexual exploitation of women and children in the porn industry. It passed unanimously in the House, before the Senate added changes to restrict transgender rights, expand parental oversight in public schools and impose new rules for school library access.

Should it pass, the state would only officially recognize two sexes in all rules and policies. Anyone who changes the sex on their birth certificate would have the old certificate attached and recorded as a joint document. State funds —  including government insurance — could not be used for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones or gender transition surgeries for minors. Incarcerated individuals receiving hormonal treatments would also see them disappear, as the bill would bar hormone administration except to prevent “medical complications resulting in imminent physical harm.”

The measure would also extend the statute of limitations to 10 years for civil suits against medical professionals who provide gender transition procedures on adults, and removes a cap for damages on malpractice lawsuits over these procedures.

Parents would also have bolstered oversight in public schools; schools would be required to adopt policies allowing parents to excuse their children from classes on topics they have a religious objection to. School boards would also be required to create a catalog of library books available at each school, and allow a parent to prevent their child from checking out specific books.

The ACLU of North Carolina has opposed the bill, saying that it violates students’ First Amendment right to learn and read free from censorship, and that it pushes trangender people out of public and civic life.

Pointing to the General Assembly’s failure to pass a state budget, Stein called the bills an effort to stoke culture wars.

“These mean-spirited bills would marginalize vulnerable people and also undermine the quality of public services and public education,” he said in a statement. “Therefore, I am vetoing them. I stand ready to work with the legislature when it gets serious about protecting people and addressing North Carolinians’ pressing concerns.”

House Speaker Destin Hall said he was disappointed in the veto.

“By rejecting this bill, he (Stein) has sided with radical activists over the overwhelming majority of North Carolinians who believe in parental rights, biological reality, and protecting women and children," Hall said in a statement.

Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger said he is prepared to override Stein’s vetoes.

“Governor Stein also had the chance to rid our public schools, colleges and universities, and state agencies of divisive ‘DEI’ programs but refused to do so,” Berger said. “He’s choosing to ignore the clear will of the people who are tired of politically correct nonsense.”

While none of the DEI bills had any Democratic support in the House — where GOP lawmakers are short one seat to successfully pass a vetoed bill into law — House Bill 805 passed in the House with the support of one Democrat, Representative Dante Pittman. If he votes the same during a veto-override process and all Republicans are present, GOP lawmakers would be able to pass the vetoed bill into law.

Stein also signed Senate Bill 442, updating the general statutes to note that a parent who raises a child consistent with their biological sex cannot be accused of child abuse due to that decision.

Lawmakers have left Raleigh for an informal summer break, but are expected to return for veto-override votes.

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