NC House to vote on whether to override Gov. Cooper's veto of SB 382 this week

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- State lawmakers will be back in Raleigh this week, and the House could vote to override Governor Cooper's veto of Senate Bill 382.

It originally was scheduled for Monday, then pushed to Tuesday, and now is set for Wednesday.

The controversial bill directs $227 million toward Hurricane Helene disaster relief from the state savings reserve. This marks the third round of public support in the aftermath of Helene.

Additionally, SB 382 would enact a series of unrelated changes that would weaken the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and superintendent of public instruction. All offices are slated to be run by Democrats next year. The legislation would also cut down on the period to correct provisional ballots, installing a deadline of Friday at noon following Election Day.

The Senate already voted 30-19 to override Cooper's veto last Monday.

"I think this is definitely a way for Republicans to disenfranchise voters in every single way, shape and form that they can," North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton said. "And what we should be nervous about the most is I think that they are trying to disguise this bill and not give it the fair amount of time that it would in the public eye as a normal piece of legislation."

SB 382 was introduced through a conference report and passed by both the House and Senate within 48 hours in late November, a process that drew pushback during floor debate.