Deliberations continued in Raleigh this week with members of the House and Senate negotiating a spending proposal and a change in the state’s tax laws. We are making progress, but our work is slow in the face of this great challenge.
We continue with important policy work and have passed several pieces of important legislation. I am including some discussion of this legislation below.
I hope you will contact me if you have questions, or if I can be of service. Thank you as always for your support and your interest in our state.
Protecting Homeowners
_North Carolinians who have been victimized by predatory mortgage lenders would be helped under a bill that has now passed both bodies of the Legislature (HB 1523). The primary intent of the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act is to ensure that mortgage loan originators operate ethically. The legislation gives the Commissioner of Banks broad authority to enforce this law. The bill will now go to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law.
Health
_State lawmakers have voted in favor of legislation that authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to release confidential data in the Controlled Substances Reporting System to state medical examiners for the purpose of investigating deaths (SB 628). The bill would also make changes pertaining to confidentiality of prescription information. The legislation will now go to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law.
_State lawmakers have amended North Carolina’s rabies laws to conform to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (SB 674). Once enacted, the legislation will allow stray or feral animals to be euthanized and tested for rabies after biting a human. The bill has now been sent to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law.
Crime
_State lawmakers have amended the law regarding trafficking in methamphetamine and amphetamine to clarify that the charge of trafficking is based on the weight of the entire powder or liquid mixture, rather than the weight of the actual amount of the controlled substance in the powder or liquid mixture (SB 1091). The intent of the bill is to strengthen the state’s drug laws. It will now go to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law.
_The General Assembly has ratified legislation to clarify that commercial social networking sites cannot be held civilly liable for actions stemming from communications on the site as long as the operators of the site have made a good-faith attempt to screen out convicted sex offenders (HB 1267). The bill has now gone to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law.
Miscellaneous
_Public school teachers with four years of experience will now have the right to receive an explanation as to why they will not receive tenure under a bill that has passed both bodies of the Legislature (SB 962). The legislation will also give those teachers the right to a hearing before the local school board votes on the decision. The bill will now be sent to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law.
_State lawmakers have ratified legislation that extends the Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change (SB 835). The commission was established to conduct an in-depth examination of issues related to global climate change. The bill will now go to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law.
_Public utilities, electronic membership corporations, telephone membership corporations, and cities and counties that operate public enterprises will now be prohibited from using certain debt collection practices that result in a customer being liable for the past due and unpaid debts of another person. The legislation, which was ratified by the General Assembly this week, has now been sent to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law (HB 1330).
_Legislation that will make it easier for soldiers, reservists and National Guard members to renew their drivers’ licenses has been ratified by the General Assembly and sent to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law (HB 98). Currently, North Carolinians may renew their drivers’ licenses as much as six months prior to the expiration date. Under the new law, members of the armed forces will be able to renew their licenses upon receipt of deployment orders. The legislation will also allow a 30-day grace period for the renewal of an expired license upon release from active duty.
_A state panel will be directed to examine the law books and propose changes to the General Statutes to make them more gender neutral under a bill that has been ratified by the General Assembly (SB 870). The Legislature would have to approve any proposed changes before they are implemented, and voters would have to approve any changes to the state’s constitution. The legislation now goes to Gov. Perdue to be signed into law.
_The “Open Government Act” has passed the House, and is headed to the Senate (HB 1134). The legislation creates the Open Government Unit of the Department of Justice, which will further the goal of transparency in government and the principle that public records are the property of the people. The legislation will also establish a fee for services of moderation and mediation by the Open Government Unit, and will provide that the successful plaintiff in a public records dispute is entitled to reasonable attorney’s fees.
Notes
_Members of the General Assembly honored the life and memory of the late state Senator Vernon Malone on Thursday (SJR 1106). Vernon Malone had served with honor and distinction as a member of the North Carolina Senate since 2003. He was a leader on several key committees and a strong proponent of education. Senator Malone died on April 18 at the age of 77.
_Members of the General Assembly have passed a joint resolution supporting the implementation of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (HJR 1654). The acts establish a program of federal capital grants to improve passenger, intermodal and freight services, create a new capital program for states to expand and improve passenger rail services and encourage public-private partnerships that work on high-speed rail projects.
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
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Regular Reports On What Is Happening In the NC General Assembly of Interest to citizens in District 51 by Representative Jimmy Love
