RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The last-minute efforts of Republican lawmakers to limit the powers of North Carolina’s incoming Democratic governor before he was sworn in are back in court.
A three-judge panel scheduled a hearing Thursday in Raleigh about a law new Gov. Roy Cooper sued over last week before he took office on Sunday.
Cooper argues the law passed last month to strip him of the authority to oversee elections statewide is unconstitutional. GOP legislators say the law promotes bipartisanship. A temporary hold was put on enforcing the law pending the result of Thursday’s hearing.
The law merges the State Board of Elections and State Ethics Commission and splits appointment powers of the combined board between the governor and legislative leaders. The old law directed Cooper to make all election board appointments.
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