Governor Josh Stein vetoes four Republican-backed bills targeting DEI and transgender rights, fueling partisan tensions in North Carolina.

Stein Denounces “Mean-Spirited” Bills as Distractions

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has vetoed four highly controversial bills passed by the Republican-led General Assembly, sparking a new political showdown in Raleigh. The measures—three focused on banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and one targeting transgender rights—were blocked in quick succession by Stein, a Democrat, who framed the legislation as divisive and harmful.

The three DEI-related bills sought to prohibit DEI training, hiring, and staffing in state and local governments, public schools, and the university system. They also would have outlawed the use of state funds for DEI programming and imposed civil penalties on government employees found in violation. No Democratic lawmakers supported the bills.

In his veto statement, Stein criticized Republican lawmakers for prioritizing culture war measures over key budget issues, arguing, “At a time when teachers, law enforcement, and state employees need pay raises, and people need shorter lines at the DMV, the legislature failed to pass a budget and, instead, wants to distract us by stoking culture wars that further divide us.”

Stein added, “These mean-spirited bills would marginalize vulnerable people and also undermine the quality of public services and public education. 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.”

Transgender Bill Faces Strong Opposition

The fourth bill initially had bipartisan support as an effort to curb sexual exploitation by requiring age verification and consent for pornography websites. However, lawmakers later amended it to include provisions banning state-funded gender-affirming procedures for prisoners and affirming only two sexes in official documentation. The bill would also require any new birth certificate issued to a transgender person to be attached to their original birth record.

Stein expressed support for the anti-exploitation measures but objected to what he described as the targeting of vulnerable individuals. “My faith teaches me that we are all children of God no matter our differences and that it is wrong to target vulnerable people, as this bill does,” Stein stated.

Only one Democrat voted in favor of the final version of the transgender bill before it was vetoed. All four bills will now return to the General Assembly, which may reconvene later in the month to attempt veto overrides. Republicans are currently one vote short of the supermajority needed to override the governor’s decision in the House.

The latest vetoes bring Stein’s total to 11 since assuming office in January, with all of them issued over the past two weeks. Stein, who previously served as North Carolina’s attorney general and in the state Senate, has campaigned on a progressive platform that includes expanding access to abortion, improving education, and lowering the cost of housing.

As the General Assembly considers its next move, the fate of these high-profile bills remains uncertain. The outcome will likely shape the political climate in North Carolina as the state heads toward another heated legislative session.