North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper on Thursday vetoed a trio of Republican bills aimed at the discussion of LGBTQ issues in schools and the availability of gender transition services for minors.
The Republican-controlled state legislature is likely to override Cooper’s veto, as it has done for similar legislation in recent months. Cooper argued that the bills are part of the “culture wars” and have no place in the law.
The first of the bills is a Florida-style parental rights bill that would require schools to notify parents if their children want to change their names or pronouns. It also prohibits discussion of LGBTQ issues in elementary school.
“Parents’ rights are well established in state law, so instead of burdening schools with their political culture wars, lawmakers should be helping them with better teacher pay and more investments in students.” , Cooper said in a statement.
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North Carolina’s Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, vetoed three GOP bills targeting LGBT issues, but the Republican-held legislature is likely to overturn the decision. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)
The other two bills concern transgender issues. One bans access to surgery and puberty blockers to minors, and the other bans biological males from playing on women’s sports teams.
Cooper argues that the bills tell doctors to ignore “approved medical protocols” and effectively make the government “both the parent and the doctor.”
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North Carolina Republicans have faced protests from left-wing groups over their push for new LGBT-focused legislation. (Twitter @TaylerUSA)
Meanwhile, Republicans have largely dismissed Cooper’s opposition, confident in his ability to override his veto as they have done before.
“Governor Cooper has no interest in supporting female athletes, only his far-left donors who want to erase women by refusing to acknowledge biology,” said state Sen. Vickie Sawyer, a Republican who sponsored the sports bill.
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North Carolina Republicans recently overrode Cooper’s veto of a bill restricting 12-week abortions in May.
Pro-choice activists march in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 26, 2022. (Alex Slitz/Charlotte Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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The legislation banned most abortions after 12 weeks, with exemptions for complicated cases, such as when the mother’s life is at risk.
Overriding the governor’s veto requires a supermajority, or three-fifths of each chamber.
