North Carolina Governor Josh Stein vetoed four significant bills aimed at diminishing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in public education and local governments. Senate Bill 227, Senate Bill 558, and House Bill 171 sought to eliminate DEI programs in schools and state governments, while House Bill 805 targeted gender-affirming treatments for prisoners and introduced restrictive measures surrounding transgender identity acknowledgment. Stein criticized these bills for being divisive and diverting attention from pressing state budget issues, asserting that they would marginalize vulnerable groups and harm public services.
"These mean-spirited bills would marginalize vulnerable people and also undermine the quality of public services and public education. Therefore, I am vetoing them."
"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."
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