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NC state House voted to override three of Governor Roy Cooper's vetoes on Wednesday

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper affixes his veto stamp to a bill banning nearly all abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy at a public rally Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Raleigh, N.C. The veto launches a major test for leaders of the GOP-controlled General Assembly to attempt to override Cooper’s veto after they recently gained veto-proof majorities in both chambers.
(AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)
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(AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)
File: North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper affixes his veto stamp to a bill banning nearly all abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy at a public rally Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Raleigh, N.C.

The state House voted to override three of Governor Roy Cooper's vetoes on Wednesday.

One of the bills would change the state law that allows people to wear masks for public health reasons. It would create criminal penalties for people who wear a mask while committing a crime, while allowing medical or surgical masks to prevent the spread of germs.

Cooper objected to a last-minute addition to the bill that loosens campaign finance laws for out-of-state contributions.

Republican Representative John Torbett says the mask change addressed concerns that state law might ban masks in public.

“I think we got the bill to a softer spot, where people understand that if they want to wear a mask, they can wear a mask. They need not be fearful of the law.”

Another vetoed bill would change the state's Raise The Age law to put more 16- and 17-year-olds charged with crimes in adult courts.

The third vetoed bill the House voted to override would allow more trees to be cut down around billboards. The Senate is expected to vote Thursday to override the vetoes and pass the three bills into law.