RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Under a law that took effect Thursday in North Carolina, employees who issue marriage licenses can refuse to complete paperwork for gay couples by invoking their religious beliefs — a move that could mean longer waits at courthouses for all those who want to wed, especially in rural counties with small staffs.

Gay rights groups and some Democrats said legal challenges were likely to come soon for the new law, the second of its kind nationwide. Utah passed one this year.

North Carolina's law took effect as the state House voted to override Republican Gov. Pat McCrory's earlier veto. The Senate already had voted for the override. McCrory said though he believes marriage is between a man and a woman, no state employee should be able to break his or her government oath. His position puts him at odds with social conservatives aligned with his party.

Under the law, some register of deeds workers who assemble licenses and magistrates who solemnize civil marriages can decide to stop performing all marriages — for both straight and gay couples — if they hold a "sincerely held religious objection." Employees with a religious objection must stop performing all marriage duties for at least six months.

The chief District Court judge or the county register of deeds — both elected officials — would fill in on marriages if needed, but if enough staff members opt out, the issuing of all licenses in a county could fall to a single person.

Such a workload could mean longer waits or even days without anyone to issue licenses if the register is out sick, on vacation, or out of the office for work.

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Dr. Jesus Hernandez (L) and Oscar Hull (C) are married by Meredith Sloane (R), a minister officiant, …

"There's certainly no way that an elected register, if they were the only person in the office issuing licenses, could be there 40 hours a week, every week," said Wayne Rash, the register of deeds for Caldwell County.

Of the state's 100 counties, 45 have three or fewer full-time employees in the register of deeds' office aside from the elected official.

"In a rural county that has only two or three employees, it will be problematic," said Drew Reisinger, who is Buncombe County's register of deeds and who opposes the law. "It is a very real scenario."

Lawyers for gay rights group Equality NC and the American Civil Liberties Union asked any same-sex couples who face difficulties to contact them.

Republicans supporting the measure said federal laws provided religious accommodations to government officials, in keeping with the U.S. and state constitutions.

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Gov. Pat McCrory delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly, …

Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, introduced the bill shortly after federal rulings last October overturned North Carolina's voter-approved constitutional ban on gay marriage. Several magistrates had resigned after the state's top court administrator threatened reprimands, termination or charges for any who declined to officiate for same-sex couples.

One of the magistrates who resigned, Gilbert Breedlove of Swain County, said Thursday that he's pleased his former colleagues can recuse themselves without worrying about their jobs. He said his faith made him better at his job.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Charges have been dropped against a University of Virginia student whose bloody arrest sparked a public uproar and a state police investigation, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Charlottesville Commonwealth's Attorney David Chapman said he made the decision after reviewing results of the investigation into Martese Johnson's arrest. But he said the findings do not warrant charges against the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control officers who arrested Johnson.

Chapman said in a written statement that "the interest of justice and the long term interest of the Charlottesville community are best served by using this case as an opportunity to engage ordinary citizens, law enforcement officers, and public officials in constructive dialogue concerning police and citizen relationships in a diverse community."

Johnson's attorney, Daniel P. Watkins, said in a telephone interview that his client was "overjoyed" when he learned he will not be prosecuted.

"It's been our position all along that police lacked justification to arrest and detain Martese," Watkins said. "It's been stressful facing criminal prosecution. He's glad to put this behind him."

The 20-year-old student form Chicago was arrested outside a bar on March 18 and charged with public intoxication or swearing, and obstruction of justice without force. Chapman will ask a Charlottesville General District Court judge to dismiss those charges at a hearing Friday morning.

"Upon review of the evidence, the applicable principles of law and the best interest of the community, the Commonwealth reached a conclusion that the interest of justice is not served by further prosecution of the defendant in relation to the events of March 18," Chapman wrote in a court filing.

Johnson's arrest gained widespread attention, with photos and videos on social media showing him pinned to the ground, his face bloodied. Johnson, who is black, called the officers racist.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe ordered the state police investigation and retraining for the liquor agency's approximately 130 law enforcement officers. He also established a task force to review ABC practices and make recommendations by Nov. 1. Among the issues being considered by the panel is whether ABC should be stripped of its arrest powers.

About 500 students demanded answers about the arrest and ABC tactics from law enforcement officials during a forum at U.Va. two days after the incident. Dissatisfied with responses that they considered too broad, representatives of a black students' organization shouted in unison, "Answer the question we asked." They marched out before the event was over with their fists raised, chanting "Black lives matter."

Johnson's arrest came two years after another U.Va. student was arrested outside a supermarket by ABC agents who mistook a carton of sparkling water for beer. Several undercover agents swarmed Elizabeth Daly's vehicle, one pulling a gun and another trying to break her windshield with a flashlight. The incident sparked a public backlash, and the traumatized student later settled a lawsuit for $212,500.

State police investigated that as well. The report was never made public, but ABC responded by promising several policy changes, including requiring agents to wear uniforms.

Watkins said he has not seen the state police report on his client's arrest. Chapman said a public meeting will be held Wednesday to discuss the incident.

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Associated Press Writer Heidi Brown in Charlottesville, Virginia, contributed to this report.

Charges against UVA student dropped

Martese Johnson's bloody arrest sparked a public uproar and a state police investigation.
'Lacked justification to arrest and detain'

Randy Howard was killed in a gunfight with a bounty hunter who was trying to detain him, police say.
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Police make second arrest related to Boston terror suspect

WARWICK, R.I. (AP) — A Rhode Island man was arrested Thursday in connection with the probe into a Massachusetts man who was fatally shot by terrorism investigators as they sought to question him about a possible plot to kill police officers.

Nicholas Rovinski is expected to appear in federal court Friday, when the charges against him will be announced, U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz's spokeswoman Christina DiIorio-Sterling said.

Rovinski, of Warwick, was taken into custody Thursday night without incident, Boston FBI office spokeswoman Kristen Setera said. Federal officials searched Rovinki's house at least two days last week, but they wouldn't discuss details of the search.

View image on Twitter Follow Justin Michaels ✔@JMichaelsNews TODAY: 24yo Nicholas Rovinski appearing in Fed. Ct. 3rd #NewEngland man facing terrorism charges in week/half. @NECN 5:17 AM - 12 Jun 2015 · Boston, MA, United States 33 Retweets favorites

Rovinski couldn't be reached for comment while in custody on Thursday night. A telephone call to his house rang unanswered, and a woman inside yelled through the front door to a reporter outside, "Get out of here."

Federal authorities say Boston resident Usaama Rahim plotted for at least a week to attack police. An FBI affidavit supporting a criminal complaint against Rahim's nephew David Wright says Rahim, Wright and another man met on a Rhode Island beach "to discuss their plans," but it doesn't identify the other man.

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This undated self portrait shows Usaama Rahim, who was shot to death by terror investigators in Bost …

Rahim, who had been under surveillance, was confronted last week because he had bought knives and talked of an imminent attack on "boys in blue," the FBI said.

The FBI said Rahim, who had previously discussed beheadings, bought three fighting knives and a sharpener on or before May 26 and told Wright he would begin trying to randomly kill police officers.

An anti-terror task force of FBI agents and Boston police officers, faced with an imminent threat, confronted Rahim on a sidewalk and fatally shot him when he refused to drop his knife, authorities said.

Boston police Commissioner William Evans said officers confronted Rahim because "military and law enforcement lives were at threat." He said the officers "made the right call," drawing their guns only after backing away and giving Rahim "multiple chances" to drop the military-style knife he was holding.

Rahim's relatives have disputed investigators' version of events, citing a blurry surveillance video released by police. They said the video showing the terror investigators fatally shooting him doesn't show him brandishing a weapon or approaching officers aggressively. They said he was not the initial aggressor and did not appear to be breaking any laws as he walked toward a bus stop on his way to work on June 2.

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Law enforcement officials are gathered on a residential street in Everett, Massachusetts June 2, 201 …

Wright, of Everett, Massachusetts, was arrested last week on a charge of conspiracy with intent to obstruct a federal investigation. He's in custody pending a June 19 hearing.

Prosecutors said he posed a serious risk of fleeing or obstructing justice if not held pending the hearing. But Wright's attorney, Jessica Hedges, denied that, saying he has deep roots in the Boston area and an "incredibly loving and supportive family."

Hedges urged the government to be "as transparent as possible" and "abide by the law" as it investigates this case, saying "we have serious concerns about that already."

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AP Legal Affairs Writer Denise Lavoie contributed to this report from Boston.