RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on expected action by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper on the bills sitting on his desk (all times local):
10:05 p.m.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed seven bills on his desk approved by the Republican-controlled General Assembly earlier this month. Those include legislation that would alter early in-person voting in North Carolina and that would restrict nuisance litigation that neighbors of big livestock operations could file.
Cooper had 45 bills on his desk that needed to be acted upon by midnight Monday or they would automatically become law. His office says he signed 32 of them.
The House and Senate are expected to try to override the vetoes later this week before they adjourn for the year.
The early voting measure would adjust the current 17-day schedule by eliminating the final Saturday before a primary or Election Day. The early voting period would now begin one day earlier. Cooper says similar previous legislation designed to manipulate the voting process have been struck down by courts.
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6:50 p.m.
Some North Carolina Republican elected officials had a wide-ranging agriculture bill on Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk on their minds when they addressed about 1,000 farmers and allies attending a pro-industry rally in Raleigh.
Cooper had until midnight Monday to sign or veto a measure making it hard for neighbors of hog farms to sue for damages because of odors and other nuisances from large livestock operations. The measure responds to litigation filed against pork producers. The first trial ended with a multi-million verdict against Smithfield Foods.
Senate leader Phil Berger called on Cooper to sign the bill, saying farmers could otherwise be put out of business even when they follow regulations. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said Monday farmers can’t efficiently produce food when they’re forced to sit in the courtroom.
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