Gov. Mike Easley said in a statement that he won't feel responsible for any harm that comes from wide boats on the roads.

"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."

Easley became the first governor in state history to have a veto shot down by the legislature.

The Senate has voted 39-0 to override Gov. Mike Easley's veto of a wide boats bill.

The vote, which followed brief debate, makes history as Easley's veto is the first to be overridden.

Senate leader Marc Basnight said that Easleys' protests of safety problems if too-wide boats are hauled on state roads, do not reflect the reality — that for years wide boats have been on state roads with few problems.

"If there is no problem, I see no reason for government to participate in creating a problem and to potentially damage the boat building industry is wrong," Basnight said.

Sen. Ed Jones, a retired state trooper, was the only legislator in either chamber to speak in favor of the veto.

"I felt like today the governor saw a mistake that we made by voting for this," said Jones, a Halifax County Democrat.

The House overrode Gov. Mike Easley's veto nine minutes after the session started.

Rep. Arthur Williams, who sponsored the wide boat bill, spoke before calling for a vote.

"I think this bill stands on its own merit and the people have spoken out," said Williams, a Democrat from Washington.

Members agreed to cut off debate and the vote to override was 92 in favor and 7 against.

The issue now goes to the Senate.

Correction: A previous version of this post misstated Williams' hometown. Dome regrets the error.

Update: After the vote, four more voters were added bringing the final, official vote tally to 95 to 8.

There will be no compromise bill on wide boats.

Lawmakers are heading into session now and there is no compromise agreement, which means the House is about to override Gov. Mike Easley's veto of a wide boats bill.

Rep. Hugh Holliman, the House majority leader and Franklin Freeman, a senior advisor to Easley met briefly Wednesday morning. When Freeman emerged, Holliman said there would be no compromise.

"We've talked and talked," Holliman said.

Holliman said Easley's office wanted to further limit the width of boats that could be hauled on the state's roadways and prohibit the boats from being hauled at night.

If the House and Senate override Easley's veto, it would be the first time a governor's veto has been shot down.

North Carolina Republicans don't think much of today's special session of the legislature.

The legislature is returning today to vote to override Gov. Mike Easley's veto of a bill to relax width restrictions for boats being towed on North Carolina highways.

State Republican Party Chairwoman Linda Daves issued a statement this morning questioning why the Democrats who control the legislature feel such a session is necessary. But she has a guess:

"Democrats are only coming back to Raleigh so they can collect more checks from the boating industry on the campaign trail," Daves said.

DENVER - State House Speaker Joe Hackney is catching the red-eye flight back to Raleigh after midnight tonight in time for Wednesday's special session of the legislature.

But Hackney, an Orange County Democrat, said he plans to return Wednesday night so he can catch Barack Obama's acceptance speech on Thursday, reports Rob Christensen.

Other Democratic lawmakers, such as Rep. Bill Faison of Orange County, were planning to return to Raleigh for the special session, which has been called to consider whether to override Gov. Mike Easley's veto of a bill relaxing the size of boats that can transported on state roads.

Meanwhile, Gerry Cohen, a top legislative staffer, made other accomodations. Cohen sat at a table at the North Carolina delegation breakfast Tuesday morning with his computer composing the legislature's adjournment resolution.

Gov. Mike Easley has called the legislature back.

The session will start 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Easley had to call lawmakers back if he wants his veto of a boat bill to stand, because the law requires the governor to call a session so legislators can consider an override. Legislative leaders have signaled that they are interested in seriously discussing an override of the bill, which allows wider boat trailers to travel on state roads. 

The N.C. Highway Patrol is standing behind Gov. Mike Easley and his veto of a bill to allow wider boats on North Carolina highways.

Bryan Beatty, head of the state agency that includes the Highway Patrol, has written a letter to the editors of the state's newspapers arguing that the legislation would jeopardize the safety of the state's roads.

"The Highway Patrol’s concern with this legislation is that 9 ½ foot wide boats traveling on our highways at night, when visibility is limited, will increase collisions," wrote Beatty, who was appointed by Easley.