As I’m sure you’ve heard, the Governor vetoed SB 820 a.k.a. the Fracking bill. Here’s what the bill does:

1. Sets up the Mining and Energy Commission and requires them to develop a program to manage oil and gas exploration;

2. Authorizes fracking but imposes a moratorium on all permitting until the legislature says it’s okay to move forward;

3. Beefs up property rights and public safety protections; and

4. Establishes a Joint Legislative Commission on Energy Policy.

In the final hours of the short session, the General Assembly overrode the governor’s veto. Here is the final vote count:

In the House:  Total Votes: 119   Ayes: 72   Noes: 47   Exc. Absent: 1

  Democrat Republican
Ayes: Representative(s): Alexander, K.; Brisson; Carney; Hamilton; Hill; Moore, R. Representative(s): Avila; Blackwell; Blust; Boles; Bradley; Brawley; Brown, L.; Brown, R.; Brubaker; Burr; Cleveland; Collins; Cook; Current; Daughtry; Dixon; Dockham; Dollar; Faircloth; Folwell; Frye; Gillespie; Hager; Hastings; Hilton; Hollo; Horn; Howard; Hurley; Iler; Ingle; Johnson; Jones; Jordan; Justice; Killian; Langdon; LaRoque; Lewis; McComas; McCormick; McElraft; McGee; Mills; Moffitt; Moore, T.; Murry; Pittman; Pridgen; Randleman; Sager; Saine; Samuelson; Sanderson; Setzer; Shepard; Stam; Starnes; Steen; Stevens; Stone; Tillis (SPEAKER); Torbett; Walend; Warren, H.; West
Noes: Representative(s): Adams; Alexander, M.; Bell; Bordsen; Brandon; Bryant; Cotham; Crawford; Earle; Faison; Farmer-Butterfield; Fisher; Floyd; Gill; Glazier; Goodman; Graham; Hackney; Haire; Hall; Harrison; Insko; Jackson; Jeffus; Keever; Lucas; Luebke; Martin; McGuirt; McLawhorn; Michaux; Mobley; Owens; Parfitt; Parmon; Pierce; Rapp; Ross; Spear; Tolson; Wainwright; Warren, E.; Weiss; Wilkins; Wray Representative(s): Holloway; McGrady
Exc. Absence: Representative(s): Womble Representative(s): None

 

And in the Senate:

Total Votes: 42   Ayes: 29   Noes: 13  Exc. Absent: 8

  Democrat Republican
Ayes: Senator(s): None Senator(s): Allran; Apodaca; Berger, P.; Bingham; Blake; Brock; Brown; Brunstetter; Carney; Daniel; Davis; East; Goolsby; Gunn; Harrington; Hartsell; Hise; Jackson; Meredith; Newton; Pate; Preston; Rabon; Rouzer; Rucho; Soucek; Tillman; Tucker; Westmoreland
Noes: Senator(s): Berger, D.; Blue; Graham; Jones; Kinnaird; McKissick; Nesbitt; Purcell; Stein; Vaughan; White Senator(s): Hunt; Stevens
Exc. Absence: Senator(s): Atwater; Clodfelter; Dannelly; Garrou; Jenkins; Mansfield; Robinson; Walters Senator(s): None

Senate Bill 820 is now law.