Arr, ye scurvy dog, Gov. Cooper be swashing his pen to veto them fancy GOP bills! No booty for ye, mateys!
2023-07-06
Arr, ye scallywags! Them Republican landlubbers be facin' a mighty big obstacle in North Carolina. Gov. Roy Cooper, bless his heart, done vetoed the law tryin' to keep us pirates from gettin' the proper gender transition help and learnin' about our queer mates. Avast!
Democratic North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has vetoed three Republican bills aimed at restricting discussions of LGBTQ issues in schools and access to gender transition services for minors. However, the Republican-held state legislature is expected to override the veto, as it has done in the past. Cooper criticized the bills, calling them part of the "culture wars" and stating that they have no place in law.The first bill requires schools to notify parents if their children want to change their names or pronouns, while also banning the discussion of LGBTQ issues in elementary schools. Cooper argued that instead of burdening schools with political issues, legislators should focus on improving teacher pay and investing in students.
The other two bills address transgender issues, with one banning minors from accessing surgery and puberty blockers, and the other prohibiting biological men from playing on female sports teams. Cooper claimed that these bills go against approved medical protocols and make the government both the parent and the doctor.
Republicans have largely dismissed Cooper's opposition, confident in their ability to override his veto. State Senator Vickie Sawyer, a Republican who sponsored the sports bill, accused Cooper of not supporting female athletes and instead prioritizing his "far-left donors."
This is not the first time Republicans have overridden Cooper's veto. In May, they successfully overturned his veto on a 12-week abortion restriction law. The law outlaws most abortions after the 12-week mark, with exceptions for complicated cases. Overriding the governor's veto requires a supermajority in each chamber.