Digital Media and Data Privacy Law Blog

North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue vetoed a bill last week that would have allowed certain documents used in the legislative process to remain confidential.  

House Bill 104 would have, among other provisions, made legislative "drafting requests," "information requests," and certain other documents submitted in connection with such requests confidential as a matter of state law -- the bill expressly exempted such materials from the state pubic records statute.  Documents prepared by legislative employees at the request of lawmakers would also have been deemed confidential.  The bill would have subjected violators to criminal penalties.

In a public statement announcing the veto, Governor Perdue stated, in part, that “[t]ransparency and accountability are hallmarks of my administration.  If this legislation became law, documents that are currently public record would become private.” 

Governor Perdue's veto could have been overridden by a vote of the North Carolina General Assembly.  But on Friday, House and Senate leaders announced they would not return for a special session to vote on an override.  That means that Governor Perdue's veto stands.