From the Office of Representative Jimmy L. Love, Sr. April 30, 2009

From the Office of Representative Jimmy L. Love, Sr.
April 30, 2009

Governor Bev Perdue received the latest information about our revenue picture and announced that the state collected $1 billion less in taxes than had been anticipated. The governor had to take quick action to make up the shortfall, since our constitution requires that the state end every fiscal year with a balanced budget. In this case, she has two months to find $1 billion in savings, in addition to the $2.2 billion for which she had already planned. That forced her to turn to salaries. Personnel costs make up about two-thirds of the state’s total yearly budget.

The Governor made a number of decisions to balance the budget, including pulling money out of our reserve funds. Part of Gov. Perdue’s solution is to withhold one half of one percent of the annual salary of each state employee, including teachers. The total savings for the salary plan amounts to $65 million. Legislative leaders and leaders in the judicial system have agreed that employees in our branches will participate in any reductions or furloughs the governor orders. This applies also to the salary I receive for being a state legislator.

There has been some confusion about the governor’s order. Simply put, it applies to all state employees. The money will be deducted in equal amounts over the next two months. To calculate the total amount of the reduction, divide your yearly salary by 200. That is the total amount of the deduction. In exchange, each employee is being given an additional 10 hours of leave time for this calendar year. In addition, the plan will not negatively impact insurance, vacation, retirement, or longevity pay.

Decisions such as these are not easy and we know these are difficult times, but if the governor had not acted the state would not have been able to meet its financial obligations, including its payroll.

We also heard from some of our state residents this week during a rare budget public hearing. For nearly three hours, we were fortunate to hear from people with interests in education, the environment, our prisons and our tax code. Budget-writers in the House welcome this guidance and we anticipate your input will help us craft a better budget.

Thank you as always for your interest in our state and please contact me if I can be of any assistance.


Crime

_The Innocence Inquiry Commission could soon have the authority to compel people who have pertinent information about a court case to testify. A bill that passed the House this week (HB 937) would also allow the head of the Commission to grant limited immunity to the witness from prosecution for previous false statements made under oath in prior proceedings. The bill is now in the Senate.

_Lawyers representing inmates on death row may be permitted to meet with their clients on the same day that the court rules on the inmate’s appeal. The proposal (HB 1037) helps ensure that death row inmates hear the court’s decision from their own lawyer, rather than from another source. The bill passed the House and is now in the Senate.

_Alleged criminals who plead guilty or no contest to a criminal offense would be more clearly notified of the limitations on their ability to file an appeal under a bill that passed the House this week (HB 1039).


Education

_School officials would be required to make a reasonable attempt to notify a parent or guardian before administering corporal punishment on a student under a bill that passed the House this week (HB 442). The legislation also would allow parents in school districts that permit corporal punishment to exempt their child from corporal punishment all together. If enacted, the law would not outlaw the practice of spanking entirely. Almost one half of North Carolina’s 115 school districts permit spanking as a means of punishment. The bill is now in the Senate.


Miscellaneous

_Automated calls to protect the public health, safety, or welfare would be allowed under proposed legislation that came out of the House this week. The system is intended to inform telephone subscribers that they have purchased products or medication that may be subject to a safety recall; that the telephone subscriber has not picked up a filled prescription drug or that an account maintained by the telephone subscriber may be subject to potential fraudulent activity. The calls could not be used for any commercial purposes. The bill (HB 1034) now goes to the Senate.

_A security audit of the state lottery would be performed every two years instead of annually under a proposed law (HB 205). Lottery officials say they already undergo multiple and sometimes duplicative audits.

_Legislation that would provide a Survivor’s Alternate Benefit for survivors of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty passed the House this week (HB 766). If enacted, the principal beneficiary of an officer who has completed 15 years of service would be entitled to the survivor’s benefit should that officer be killed in the line of duty. The bill is now in the Senate.


Notes

_ Members of the General Assembly welcomed the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill men’s basketball team this week to officially honor them for an outstanding season culminating in the 2009 NCAA Division I Championship (HJR 1517). The team won the 2009 NCAA Division I Championship by defeating Michigan State with a score of 89-72, the largest margin in a title game in 17 years.

_Members of the General Assembly officially honored the fallen members of the Salisbury Fire Department with a House Joint Resolution on Thursday (HJR 690). On the morning of March 7, 2008, the Salisbury Fire Department responded to a fire at the Salisbury Millwork. While working to extinguish the fire, two members of the Salisbury Fire Department, Victor Anthony Isler, 40, and Justin Edward Monroe, 19, lost their lives. Victor Anthony Isler is survived by his wife, Tracy; his son, Victor Jr.; and his daughter, Ryan-Ann. Justin Edward Monroe is survived by his parents, Eddie and Lisa Monroe, and his brother, Mark.

_The NC Forestry Association visited the General Assembly on Tuesday. “The NC Forestry Association is a private, nonprofit partnership of more than 4,200 forest managers, landowners, mill operators, loggers, furniture manufacturers, educators and others concerned about the long-term health and productivity of the state's forest resources and the industries they support.” For more information, please visit: http://www.ncforestry.org/.

_The Land for Tomorrow coalition visited the General Assembly on Wednesday. “The Coalition is a statewide partnership of concerned citizens, businesses, interest groups and local governments urging the General Assembly to protect the state's land and water resources before they are irreversibly lost.” For more information, please visit: http://www.landfortomorrow.org/.

Please remember that you can listen to each day’s session, committee meetings and press conferences on the General Assembly’s website at www.ncleg.net. Once on the site, select "audio," and then make your selection – House Chamber, Senate Chamber, Appropriations Committee Room or Press Conference Room.






Prepared with the assistance of the Speaker’s Office of Communications