Finally. It took a while – nine months to be exact – but yesterday the North Carolina House of Representatives overrode Gov. Josh Stein’s August 2025 veto of legislation (HB 87) to opt-in North Carolina into the Education Choice for Children Act, better known as Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program. ECCA allows individuals to claim a tax credit of up to $1,700 for contributions to state approved scholarship granting organizations to be distributed a to children attending public or private schools.
Yesterday’s vote was 73-46. Seventy-two votes were necessary to override the veto. All Republicans supported the measure along with two independents, Rep. Carla Cunningham and Rep. Nasif Majeed, both African American Democrats from Mecklenburg County. Cunningham voted for the bill in 2025. Both Cunningham and Majeed suffered primary defeats by candidates backed by Governor Stein and party leadership. After their defeats legislators switched affiliation to Independent.
Representatives Cunningham and Majeed should be applauded for having the courage to stand up and do the right thing. ECCA can turbo-charge school choice in North Carolina and provide thousands of students with a chance to access a better education.
The divide between Democrats on this issue in North Carolina and nationally, is real . Gov. Josh Stein vetoed the bill because he believes ECCA will take money from the public schools.
Poppycock. Programs which are funded by individual contributors who gain tax credits, do not take money from the public schools.
Stein’s view is far from dominant – even among those in his own party.
Democratic Governors Jared Polis of Colorado and Kathy Hochul of New York recently approved legislation to sign on to to ECCA legislation. Both see the program as too good to pass up. They also see what Stein has been unable to: ECCA can aid both private and public schools in their states. There were many good reasons why Stein should reconsider his veto. His own veto message left open the possibility of opting in. However, now it may happen, despite the Governor’s objections.
The measure now goes to the Senate where the Senate will also have to vote to override. Republicans hold a 30-20 margin over Democrats in the Senate. No votes are expected next week. The earliest date for a possible vote is about two weeks from now.
