On Wednesday, the North Carolina House and Senate both voted to override Gov. Pat McCrory’s veto of the so-called “ag-gag” bill.
House Bill 405, titled the Property Protection Act, allows private property owners to recover damages when someone enters their property or obtains a job for the purpose of stealing records, information or to make recordings. Proponents of the measure have deemed it an “ag-gag” bill, saying it will punish whistleblowers who allege maltreatment at farms or factories.
Both Rep. Chris Whitmire, R-Transylvania, and Rep. Jonathan Jordan, R-Watauga, were co-sponsors of the bill.
The website for the American Society for the Protection of Cruelty Against Animals said that seven other states had passed similar bills as of March 2015. They are Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota and Utah. Some 20 others have debated similar measures at the state legislative level.
According to the Associated Press, the override marks the third time the legislature has canceled one of McCrory’s vetoes since he took office in early 2013. He’s issued five vetoes during that time.
NC House: House Bill 405
| Democrat | Republican | |
| Ayes: | Representative(s): Brisson; Brockman; C. Graham; Floyd; Glazier; Goodman; Hanes; Lucas; R. Moore; Salmon; Waddell; Wray | Representative(s): Adams; Arp; Avila; B. Brown; Bishop; Blackwell; Blust; Boles; Bradford; Brawley; Brody; Bumgardner; Burr; Cleveland; Collins; Conrad; Daughtry; Davis; Dixon; Dobson; Dollar; Elmore; Faircloth; Ford; Fraley; Hager; Hastings; Holloway; Horn; Howard; Hurley; Iler; J. Bell; Jones; Jordan; L. Johnson; Lambeth; Langdon; Lewis; McElraft; McGrady; McNeill; Millis; Pendleton; Pittman; Presnell; R. Turner; Riddell; Robinson; Ross; S. Martin; Saine; Schaffer; Setzer; Shepard; Speciale; Stam; Steinburg; Stevens; Szoka; Tine; Torbett; Warren; Watford; West; Whitmire; Yarborough |
| Noes: | Representative(s): Adcock; Ager; Alexander; B. Turner; Baskerville; Carney; Cotham; Cunningham; D. Hall; Earle; Farmer-Butterfield; Fisher; G. Graham; G. Martin; Gill; Hamilton; Harrison; Holley; Hunter; Insko; Jackson; L. Bell; L. Hall; Luebke; Meyer; Michaux; Pierce; Queen; R. Johnson; Reives; Richardson; Terry; Willingham | Representative(s): Hardister; Malone; R. Brown |
| Not Voting: | Representative(s): None | Representative(s): Jeter; T. Moore (SPEAKER) |
| Exc. Absence: | Representative(s): None | Representative(s): Bryan; Catlin; Zachary |
NC Senate
| Democrat | Republican | |
| Ayes: | Senator(s): Clark; Ford; Woodard | Senator(s): Alexander; Apodaca; B. Jackson; Barefoot; Barringer; Berger; Brock; Brown; Cook; Curtis; Daniel; Gunn; Harrington; Hise; J. Davis; Krawiec; Lee; McInnis; Pate; Rabin; Rabon; Randleman; Rucho; Sanderson; Soucek; Tarte; Tillman; Tucker; Wade; Wells |
| Noes: | Senator(s): Bryant; D. Davis; Foushee; J. Jackson; Lowe; McKissick; Robinson; Smith; Smith-Ingram; Stein; Van Duyn; Waddell | Senator(s): Bingham; Hartsell; Meredith |
| Not Voting: | Senator(s): None | Senator(s): Newton |
| Exc. Absence: | Senator(s): Blue | Senator(s): None |
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