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Voter ID Measure Heads To North Carolina House Floor Wednesday

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Legislation designed to carry out a new constitutional amendment requiring photo identification to vote in person in North Carolina is closing in on another key General Assembly vote.

The House scheduled floor debate Wednesday for the measure, which describes the types of ID cards that would qualify, along with a host of exceptions. The Senate approved a somewhat narrower version last week.

A final bill will go to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who is a voter ID opponent. Any veto could be overridden by Republicans if they stay united. The GOP's veto-proof majorities go away in January, providing some explanation why Republicans acted so quickly after the voter ID amendment referendum was approved last month.

The House measure also would put additional voter ID rules upon mail-in absentee ballots.

Matt Bush joined Blue Ridge Public Radio as news director in August 2016. Excited at the opportunity the build up the news service for both stations as well as help launch BPR News, Matt made the jump to Western North Carolina from Washington D.C. For the 8 years prior to coming to Asheville, he worked at the NPR member station in the nation's capital as a reporter and anchor. Matt primarily covered the state of Maryland, including 6 years of covering the statehouse in Annapolis. Prior to that, he worked at WMAL in Washington and Metro Networks in Pittsburgh, the city he was born and raised in.