Easley: It's on their hands now

bniolet — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:09:47 -0400

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.

Senate overrides the veto

bniolet — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:46:05 -0400

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.