Concurring with previous votes by the state Senate, the state House of Representatives on Monday voted to override three vetoes by Gov. Beverly Perdue.

All three bills originated in the Senate, where one of them, the Medical Liability Reform Act, had Sen. Harris Blake among the co-sponsors. The other bills are the Regulatory Reform Act and the Medicaid and Health Choice Provider Require-ment Act.

State Rep. Jamie Boles, the other Moore County legislator, on Tuesday expressed puzzlement about the vetoes. He said these bills had bipartisan support in both chambers, and one bill, the regulatory reform bill, included aspects of a plan the Democratic governor had herself proposed.

"The Democrats are just as confused as we are," Boles said.

Republicans control both chambers of the legislature this year, the first time in more than 100 years. Blake and Boles are Republicans.

Several other veto override votes are expected in the General Assembly this week.

TILLIS - House Speaker Thom Tillis, a Mecklenburg County Republican, released statements praising the House for voting to override the vetoes.

Tillis said the regulatory reform bill was the product of multiple public meetings in which legislators heard from small business owners about the need to reform burdensome state regulations.

"This bill makes North Carolina more business-friendly and immediately makes our state more competitive when attracting new businesses," Tillis said.

The speaker said passage of the Medicaid reform bill brings the state into conformity with federal requirements for fraud and abuse laws.

FOXFIRE - Edward M. McCue III filed Monday for an unexpired seat on the Foxfire Village Council.

He is seeking the seat vacated through the recent resignation of Victor Koos.

To fill the vacancy, the Moore County Board of Elections called a special filing period, which ended at noon Tuesday. The regular filing period ended July 15.

HEALTH - Dr. Michele Keel has been appointed to the optometrist position on the Moore County Board of Health. The county commissioners made the appointment during their July 19 meeting.

At the same meeting, Commissioner Craig Kennedy was named as the voting delegate to the N.C. Association of County Commissioners' annual conference to be held Aug. 18-21 in Cabarrus County.

The board also reappointed Commissioner Jimmy Melton to the Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization Rural Transportation Advisory Committee and appointed Kennedy as the alternate.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at florence@thepilot.com.