Gov. Roy Cooper vetoes two bills, signs environmental and vaping bills • NC Newsline

Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday vetoed a pair of bills that would allow some off-road vehicles on North Carolina highways and limit local government involvement in rental disputes.

Cooper signed four other bills into law, including a farm bill that includes environmental tax breaks and new regulations on vaping products.

House Bill 155, one of those vetoed by Cooper, would allow modified commercial vehicles to drive on more roads, including four-lane highways. It received broad support in both the House (92-12) and the Senate (46-3).

“These vehicles lack many of the safety features found in traditional vehicles, increasing the risk of serious injury or death to those driving on our highways,” Cooper said in a statement explaining the veto.

The second vetoed piece of legislation, Bill 556, aimed to define the role of local governments in resolving disputes between tenants and property owners.

In a statement, Cooper said the bill created “legal ambiguity” around eviction orders, arguing that it would “make it harder for low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities to find affordable rental housing” by preventing local governments from protecting against rent discrimination.

Among the bills signed into law was House Bill 900, which requires the state Department of Revenue to create a “directory” of certified vaping products and consumer products approved for sale.

Retailers selling products that are not listed in the directory will have to undergo mandatory inspection and will subsequently face fines and license suspension.

Cooper boasted of signing Senate Bill 355 — the North Carolina Farm Act — which includes tax breaks for properties donated to preserve forests, farmland, fish and wildlife, and other purposes.

“The conservation tax credit I proposed in my budget and passed with this bill will help us achieve the goal I set for myself of permanently protecting one million new acres of natural lands by 2040,” Cooper said in a statement.

“Protecting forests, wetlands and farmland increases our resilience to climate threats, reduces atmospheric carbon, increases military preparedness and supports local economies.”

Cooper also signed the bill:

• Senate Bill 319, which, among other things, establishes a permanent cancer insurance program for firefighters and makes changes to firefighters’ pension payments.
• Bill No. 199 introduces a number of changes to driving licenses and transport offices, including enabling drivers to receive digital “mobile driving licenses.”