McCrory calls veto session for Sept. 3

By Mark Binker

RALEIGH, N.C. — The General Assembly will be back on Sept. 3.

Gov. Pat McCrory has called to legislature back to examine two bills he vetoed earlier this month. 

“The veto should be used for two reasons,” McCrory said in a news release. “The first is to stop legislation about which I have strong reservations of being in the best interest of North Carolina. The second is to ensure the public is made aware of legislation that is not fully scrutinized. These bills meet both criteria.”

House Bill 392 would require drug testing of applicants for certain welfare programs, something McCrory has said is unfair and could open the state up to legal challenges.

House Bill 786 would exempt certain foreign workers from undergoing E-verify background checks for up to nine months, something the governor said would create loopholes for those here illegally. 

Both bills passed with more than the three-fifths majorities needed to override a gubernatorial veto. 

When a governor issues a veto, the state constitution requires him to recall the legislature so they may have a chance to override and pass the law not withstanding his objections. 

"I'll tell you what I told the governor's office," House Majority Whip Mike Hager said. "We have the ability to override both vetoes if we choose to, and I think we are going to choose to."

As whip, Hager, R-Rutherford, is responsible for assessing how members will vote in high-profile situations. He called both measures "good bills."

Sen. Jerry Tillman, R-Randolph, the Senate Majority Whip, said he did not have a formal vote count, but believed his chamber would also vote to override McCrory’s vetoes.

"The people that I have talked to are pretty firm on overriding, Tillman said.

The veto override sessions will begin at noon, although it's unclear what the exact timing for votes will be.

MORE:  http://www.wral.com/mccrory-calls-veto-session-for-sept-3/12807126/

Fingerprinting provision in NC welfare bill draws criticism

RALEIGH — North Carolina residents applying for welfare could be asked to provide their physical fingerprints to the Department of Social Services under a House bill that tightens regulations on benefit applicants.

The provision has angered Democrats and advocates for the poor, and raised concerns among DSS offices and law enforcement agencies about how prints would be collected and processed and who would pay for the procedure.

The bill – House Bill 392 – adds a search for outstanding felony warrants, and probation and parole violations to background checks already performed on benefit applicants. It also requires applicants to the Work First program, which provides families money and job training, to get drug tested if a county DSS office finds any reason to suspect them of illegal substance use. DSS would use drug convictions, warrants and arrests from the past three years; drug screenings; and written tests to determine the reasonable suspicion necessary for testing.

The Senate approved an amended version of the bill July 10, and the House is expected to take it up Monday.

DSS needs to “have the tools necessary to ensure we’re not providing benefits to felons,” said the bill’s main sponsor, Rep. Dean Arp, a Republican from Monroe.

Democratic lawmakers and advocates for the poor have contested the bill’s provision on drug testing, which resulted in some language in the legislation being eliminated. The background checks haven’t generated as much backlash, but that changed after the fingerprinting provision came to light.

The bill would allow DSS to ask Work First and food stamp applicants for fingerprints, which would be used to perform federal background checks. DSS offices don’t currently fingerprint applicants.

Sen. Angela Bryant of Rocky Mount, a Democrat, voted for the Senate bill but says she wouldn’t have if she had been aware of the fingerprinting provision.

“I would have raised a big stink” and voted against the bill, she said. Both Bryant and Sen. Josh Stein, a Raleigh Democrat, called it “overkill.”

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/21/3046403/fingerprinting-provision-in-nc.html#emlnl=Politics#storylink=cpy