Gov. Josh Stein’s four worst vetoes and why the General Assembly should override them | Opinion

Governor Josh Stein’s honeymoon period feels like it’s about to be over.

In his first few months, he largely played it safe: a measured tone, bipartisan messaging, not picking many fights. But that moderate instinct is now meeting the harder edge of governing.

With 14 vetoes already behind him and more likely ahead, we’re beginning to see how he really plans to govern.

Not all of those vetoes are unreasonable. Divided government comes with real disagreements. But after going through all 14, four stand out — for the wrong reasons.

In each case, Stein’s reasoning for his veto doesn’t hold up. He either misread the bill, or more likely, gave in to pressure from his party’s base.

On donor privacy

Senate Bill 416 would’ve protected people who give to nonprofits from having their names turned over by government agencies — unless there’s a court order or an active investigation.

It applied equally, whether you support a pro-life group or a climate nonprofit. It didn’t touch campaign finance laws or limit what law enforcement can do with cause.

Stein vetoed it, warning it would shield “dark money.” But the bill had nothing to do with campaign donations. It simply protected people’s ability to give privately to causes they believe in.

Maybe Stein is genuinely worried about loopholes. But the more likely concern is political. This bill would have made it harder to publicly target donors to unpopular causes — a tactic his allies in other states have used in the past. That’s a more likely reason why it got the veto.

On energy

Senate Bill 266 scrapped an arbitrary 2030 carbon emissions deadline that wasn’t backed by any clear cost-benefit plan. It kept the long-term goal of being carbon neutral by 2050, but gave the state more flexibility to focus on keeping power affordable and the grid reliable.

Stein vetoed it, pointing to a single projection of long-term fuel costs. But he ignored broader estimates that showed $15 billion in potential savings for homeowners.

The politics are straightforward. The 2030 carbon target is a rallying point for environmental activists. But keeping the lights on at a fair price matters, too. Stein could have made space for both, but he didn’t.

On government regulation

House Bill 402, informally known as the REINS Act, would’ve required major new regulations to be approved by the legislature if they carried a price tag of $20 million or more. That’s it. Agencies could still act quickly in emergencies, and anything required by federal law was exempt.

Stein said the bill would slow down state agencies and make it harder to protect people’s health. But the bill didn’t block any rules. It just said that if a regulation costs that much, elected lawmakers should sign off first.

That’s not red tape. That’s exactly what a legislature is for. Voters should have a say when new rules come with that kind of price tag.

On immigration

House Bill 318 told sheriffs they had to cooperate with ICE when someone in custody is charged with a serious crime — like sexual assault or arson — and a federal warrant and detainer are in place. It also said counties couldn’t pass sanctuary policies that block that cooperation.

Stein said he supports holding violent offenders accountable. But he vetoed the bill anyway, citing legal concerns about holding people for ICE. The courts are mixed on the issue, but this bill required both a detainer and a warrant — an extra safeguard.

The more likely reason for the veto? Some of Stein’s allies don’t want any cooperation with ICE, even in serious cases. Rather than take them on, he took the safe route.

What happens next

The General Assembly returns to Raleigh in the coming days. Lawmakers will have the opportunity to override these vetoes — and they should.

I’ve been plenty critical of how the General Assembly conducts its business, and I’m always open to honest debate. But these four bills feel more like moments when politics triumphed over prudence.

To his credit, Stein has mostly kept a steady hand in a tricky political environment. But sometimes, the politics of his party pull him away from practical solutions. In these cases, they did.

Legislative leaders have promised to override Stein’s vetoes swiftly. They should start with these four.