(The Lion) — North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong has vetoed a school choice bill for not going far enough and another measure that would have placed sexually explicit materials out of the reach of children.

Armstrong, a Republican, criticized the school choice proposal, HB 1540, since it targeted lower-income families primarily in the state’s urban areas. North Dakota is one of the most rural states, meaning the bill would have benefited a limited section of the population.

The legislation “falls far short of truly expanding choice as it only impacts one sector of our student population,” the governor said in his veto message.

He then urged support for Senate Bill 2400, a more sweeping measure that would establish education savings accounts (ESAs) open to all students. “I encourage the Legislature to take this opportunity to craft a comprehensive school choice policy that works for all of North Dakota.”

Lawmakers have until the end of the legislative session on May 9 to pass that bill.

Armstrong also vetoed a proposal to require libraries, including school libraries, to place “offensively sexual” content in areas not easily accessible to children. The measure would have required an online filtering system as well.

The governor called himself a “free speech absolutist” when announcing the veto of Senate Bill 2307. He also took issue with the estimated $2 million cost for the filtering system, saying the money and effort would best be spent elsewhere, according to media reports.

Neither bill passed by a veto-proof majority in the Legislature, meaning Armstrong’s decisions are likely to stand.