Vetoed public-camping and drug-free-zone bill placed on Aug. 4 House calendar
RALEIGH — A vetoed North Carolina bill addressing public camping and drug offenses near homeless-service facilities has been placed on the state House calendar for Aug. 4.
House Bill 437, titled “Drug-Free Zones/Unauthorized Public Camping,” would establish enhanced penalties for certain controlled-substance offenses committed within designated homeless-service zones. It would also impose restrictions on unauthorized camping or sleeping on property owned by state and local governments.
Gov. Josh Stein vetoed the bill July 8. In his veto message, Stein said the legislation would make it more difficult for people experiencing homelessness to obtain stable housing and would create an unfunded mandate for local governments.
Stein also argued that the measure could expose people seeking substance-use treatment, along with organizations and churches serving them, to criminal liability.
The bill’s public-camping provisions would establish a process involving written notice to a local government and a 15-business-day opportunity to address an alleged violation before certain legal remedies could be pursued. The provisions would not apply during a state or locally declared emergency.
Under the ratified bill, the Department of Labor would be required to adopt implementing rules by June 30, 2027. Part of the measure would become effective on that date, while the remainder would take effect when the legislation became law.
The bill passed the Senate on second reading by a 26-16 vote on June 24. The House voted 73-40 on June 30 to concur with Senate changes.
The General Assembly’s bill page now lists the measure as placed on the House calendar for Aug. 4. Placement on the calendar does not guarantee that an override vote will occur.
Overriding a gubernatorial veto requires support from three-fifths of the members present and voting in each chamber. The House’s previous 73-40 concurrence vote does not itself constitute a veto-override vote.
Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.
