(a) If the Governor approves a bill, the Governor shall write upon the same, below the signatures of the presiding officers of the two houses, the fact, date, and time of approval, as follows: “Approved ____.m. this ____ day of ____,  ____” and shall sign the same as follows: “____ Governor”. The Governor shall then return the approved bill to the enrolling clerk.

(b) If any bill becomes law because of the failure of the Governor to take any action, it shall be the duty of the Governor to return the measure to the enrolling clerk, who shall sign the following certificate on the measure and deposit it with the Secretary of State: “This bill having been presented to the Governor for signature on the ____ day of ____, ____ and the Governor having failed to approve it within the time prescribed by law, the same is hereby declared to have become a law.

This ____ day of ____, ____, ____ Enrolling Clerk”.

(c) If the Governor returns any bill to the house of origin with objections, the Governor shall write such objections on the measure or cause the objections to be attached to the measure. When any such bill becomes law after reconsideration of the two houses, the principal clerk of the second house to act shall, below the objections of the Governor, sign the following certificate: “Became law notwithstanding the objections of the Governor, ____.m. this ____ day of ____, ____”. The principal clerk of the second house to act shall fill in the time. The enrolling clerk shall deposit the measure with the Secretary of State.

(d) In calculating the period under Section 22(7) of Article II of the North Carolina Constitution, the day on which the bill is presented to the Governor shall be excluded and the entire last day of the period is included. (1995, c. 20, s. 2; 1997-1, s. 3; 2010-96, s. 15.)