On Saturday, March 5, Governor Bev Perdue vetoed House Bill 2, which would have set forth a firm challenge to federal health care regulations.
If House Bill 2 were enacted into law, it would have exempted North Carolina citizens from the federal mandate for individuals to purchase health insurance. It also would have directed North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper to join other states in lawsuits challenging the federal health care law.
In an attempt to explain her veto, Perdue called the legislation "unconstitutional" and "ill-conceived." She went on to say that the General Assembly should not enact laws that conflict with federal law.
The Republican majority in the General Assembly will more than likely attempt to override Perdue's veto. Republicans on the Senate side have a veto-proof majority, so they will have no trouble overriding the veto. Republicans on the House side, however, will need to pick up at least four Democratic votes.
