The North Carolina House has overturned Governor Pat McCrory’s veto of Senate Bill 2.

After leaving the vote on the House calendar for more than a week, Republican Speaker Tim Moore called for a vote on Thursday. GOP Representative Skip Stam asked the vote to be taken with no debate.

Representative Graig Meyer told WCHL’s Blake Hodge he was “angry” and “sad” after the veto override. Listen below:

 

House Democrats called this a “sad day in North Carolina” in a press conference following the override. Listen below:

 

The House then voted 69-41 to overturn the veto, eclipsing the three-fifths majority needed to override a veto.

Senate Bill 2 allows magistrates and employees of county register of deeds offices to opt out of performing same-sex or traditional marriages.

Governor McCrory vetoed the legislation after it passed through both chambers of the state legislature. The state Senate then voted to override the veto.

Democratic leaders immediately bashed the decision at a press conference following the vote, calling it a “sad day for North Carolina” adding that the Republicans “ambushed” the vote on Thursday only when the GOP knew it had the votes required to overturn the veto.

Democrats point to the fact that large businesses had spoken against the legislation will be a hindrance on North Carolina’s economy.

Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt issued the following statement after the House override:

“I condemn today’s NC House override of the Governor’s Veto of Senate Bill 2.  Now the law in North Carolina, Senate Bill 2 carves out a constitutional exception to a public servant’s duty to provide equal access and justice under the law.  All North Carolinians now have the possibility of being denied the services of a magistrate or register of deeds.  Couples that include a divorced person, interracial couples, couples from different faiths, as well as same-sex couples have historically faced condemnation based on the religious beliefs of others.  The Governor was right in vetoing this legislation and his veto should have been sustained.  Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough and Orange County all passed resolutions committing to exploring legal action against this legislation in the event of its passage. Those conversations with our partners begin now.”