Supermajorities in state capitols push controversial policies to the edge – By Davis A. Lieb (AP News) / June 17, 2023
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lawmakers in state capitols this year have been flexing their superpowers.
In North Carolina, a new supermajority of Republicans enacted abortion restrictions. In Vermont, a new supermajority of Democrats imposed a climate-sensitive home heating law. And in Montana, a GOP supermajority booted a transgender lawmaker from the House floor.
In each case, the views of their political opponents ultimately were irrelevant.
By at least one measure, political power is at its highest mark in decades. That’s because Republicans or Democrats hold majorities so large in 28 states that they could override gubernatorial vetoes without any help from the minority party.
