(The Center Square) – Three bills in their entirety, including one that overcame a gubernatorial veto, were enacted into North Carolina law Monday with the turn of the calendar.
Dec. 1 is among the most popular dates for the General Assembly, and 18 bills have all or sections becoming enacted. In addition to a proposal on privacy of donations to nonprofits, sections of three other bills that survived the veto stamp also became law.
One of the bills enacted in its entirety that survived a veto involves property owners’ rights with regard to squatters; the third is designed to protect the elderly in retirement communities.
The Personal Privacy Protection Act, known also as Senate Bill 416, is one of eight thus far first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein has vetoed only to see the Legislature overturn his decision. This bill protects privacy of donations made to nonprofits.
Opponents, including the governor, said it would bring “dark money” into politics. Advocates assured state and federal campaign laws are not impacted. North Carolina is the 22nd state to have this protection, according to the People United for Privacy Foundation.
Senate override was party line 30-19 and House was 74-46 with Reps. Carla Cunningham of Mecklenburg County, Shelly Willingham of Edgecombe County and former Democratic Rep. Cecil Brockman of Guilford County the lone Democrats in favor. At passage (Senate 24-15, House 63-46), seven Senate Republicans took excused absences and an eighth didn’t vote; and 10 House Republicans had excused absences, with another not voting.
Democratic Sens. Gale Adcock of Wake County and Julie Mayfield of Buncombe County changed their aye votes in the upper chamber. Smith’s aye vote and Brockman’s no changed in the House.
Also new with the entire act effective Monday are Expedited Removal of Unauthorized Persons (Senate Bill 55), and Continuing Care Retirement Communities Act (House Bill 357).
SB55 has stiff penalties if rightful property owners wrongly accuse. In the form of House Bill 96, it got a late amendment before going to the governor. He cited the possible enabling of puppy mills in the bill language and rejected it July 9.
HB357 was designed to protect retirement community residents in the event a provider “becomes insolvent or unable to provide continuing care.” The law encourages retirement communities, and licensing, monitoring and regulation by the Department of Insurance.
The sections enacted of the three laws for which the Legislature overturned Stein’s vetoes:
• Clarify Powers of State Auditor (House Bill 549), Sections 10, 11, 12, 13.
• Prevent Sexual Exploitation/Women and Minors (HB805), Sections 2, 4, 5.
• Firearm Law Revisions (HB193), Sections 1-6, 8.
The sections enacted of the other 12 laws are:
• Fostering Care in NC Act (House Bill 612), Sections 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 5.
• Various Disaster Recovery Reforms (HB251), Sections 2, 4, 10.
• Department of Health and Human Services Revisions (HB576), Sections 3.2, 7.1.
• DOT Omnibus (Senate Bill 391), Sections 17, 22, 26.
• AOC Agency Requests (HB620), Sections 4-6, 10, 12.2, 14, 22(b).
• Extend Certain Rights to Catawba Nation (SB655), Sections 4, 7.
• 2025 Public Safety Act (SB429), Sections 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12-15, 17-20, 26(c).
• The Law and Order Act (SB311), Sections 1, 2, 4-11, 11.5(a) and (c), 13(b).
• Harrison’s Law (SB375), Sections 1, 3.
• Timeshare Foreclosure/Paternity Matters (HB992), Sections 1-4, 5.
• Expand Remote Drivers License Services (SB245), Sections 3.5, 5.
• Iryna’s Law (HB307), Sections 1(a-e, j), 2, 6(a-c, e), 7, 8, 10(b).
Parts or all of eight laws are scheduled for enactment Jan. 1.
