Wide-boat law sails through
Thursday, August 28th, 2008
By Staff
The legislature speedily overrides the governor's veto of a bill allowing wider boats on North Carolina highways
RALEIGH - It took less than an hour for the legislature to override a veto from Gov. Mike Easley and open the state's roads to wider boat trailers.
That historic vote also highlighted the chasm between Easley — who has about four months left in office — and members of his own party.
Easley said wider boat trailers are simply unsafe. Bill supporters say boaters have hauled wide trailers for years without problems. They say targeting boaters only chases sportsmen to other states while harming North Carolina's boat builders.
Debate was brief in the Senate and nonexistent in the House, as members overwhelmingly supported the first veto override in state history. The state gave the governor veto power in 1997.
After his resounding defeat, Easley showed little inclination toward mending fences.
"I have done what I thought was right to protect the safety of the public on our highways," Easley said through a spokesman. "It will be the members of the General Assembly who will have on their hands the consequences of this law. I hope and pray no one gets hurt." (more…)
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