RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- The House has overridden a veto by Gov. Beverly Perdue on legislation to give all North Carolina community colleges the ability to decline to offer certain low-interest federal student loans.
The House voted Thursday to cancel Perdue's veto by a vote 71-46 -- just enough of a margin to override. The bill now goes to the Senate, which would need the same outcome to enact the bill into law.
Perdue vetoed the bill in April 2011 because she said it would prevent access for students to inexpensive loans to help retool their careers. Community college presidents said they feared high default rates could jeopardize access to all federal financial aid.
The Legislature already bypassed her veto by passing local bills giving more than 25 colleges the ability to opt out.
