The economic downturn forced us to cut spending in a number of ways this year. Inevitably, some of these cuts have trickled down to local governments, requiring that we eliminate free work by prison work crews and payments to jails for housing some prisoners. Despite these cutbacks, we were able to write several new laws that benefit local governments and the people they serve. We were also able to continue to invest in some areas critical to the success of North Carolina communities. This week, I want to highlight some of the ways the House of Representatives worked to better and protect local communities across this great state.
If you have any questions or if I can be of assistance, please feel free to contact me. Thank you as always for your interest in the work of the General Assembly and state government and thank you for your support.
Transportation and Energy
_A new state law will allow counties the opportunity to raise more money for mass transit projects, including rail service and buses (H.B. 148 - S.L. 2009-527). The legislation allows residents of Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange and Wake counties to vote on whether to increase local sales taxes by ½ cent and car registration fees by up to $2. The money would be used for public transportation. Other counties could increase sales taxes by a ¼ cent for such projects. The legislation is based on a plan Mecklenburg County used to finance its new popular downtown rail line.
_ Counties and municipalities in North Carolina are authorized to provide development incentives in exchange for reductions in energy consumption under a new state law (S.B. 52 - S.L. 2009-95). More specifically, counties and municipalities will be able to grant incentives to a developer or builder if they agree to construct a new development or reconstruct an existing development in a way that significantly reduces energy consumption.
Emergency Management
_A new state law expands the ability of counties and municipalities to form joint emergency management agencies (H.B. 380 - S.L. 2009-196). Previously, a county could only form joint agencies with municipalities within its borders. The new law allows counties to also work with other counties, as well as municipalities within the partnering county.
_A new state law clarifies that counties and cities have the authority to order evacuations in certain emergency situations (S.B. 256 - S.L. 2009-146). The law also clarifies that the Emergency Management Immunity Statute applies to counties and cities in these situations.
Miscellaneous
_Under a new state law, all municipalities and counties are authorized to give a single annual notice to chronic violators of their public nuisance ordinances before the local government can act (S.B. 564 - S.L. 2009-287). A chronic violator is a person cited at least three times in the previous year for public nuisance violations on the same property.
_A new state law requires all cities, counties and other local units of government to adopt a code of ethics for their governing boards (H.B. 1452 - S.L. 2009-403). The law also requires members of those boards to receive education on ethics laws applicable to local government officials.
_A new state law expands the definition of economically distressed counties to include the 80 poorest counties in the state as determined by a number of factors (H.B. 1514 - S.L. 2009-523). The legislation increases the maximum expenditure of funds from the Industrial Development Fund from $5,000 to $10,000 per new job created or per job retained up to a maximum of $500,000 per project.
Budget
_Aid to Safety Net Community Health Centers - $5 million
Provides funding on a competitive grant basis to increase the capacity of rural health centers, local health departments, free clinics, school-based health centers, and other entities to provide health care to low income and uninsured persons.
_Learn and Earn Early College High Schools – $3.6 million
Provides funding for 12 additional Learn and Earn high schools that will be operational in FY 2009-10, bringing the total number of Learn and Earn "traditional" high schools to 68. the nonrecurring appropriation provides $10,000 per site to support start-up costs associated with the first year of implementation.
_Medicaid Takeover - $252 million
Completed last phase of three-year takeover of Medicaid from counties, freeing money for local governments.
_Crisis Services – $12 million
Provides funds for local inpatient bed capacity located within community hospitals.
_Health Net - $2 million
Appropriates funds to expand access to comprehensive health services for uninsured individuals.
_Rural Hospitals Operation and Maintenance - $1.6 million
Provides funding for small rural hospitals for assistance with operations and infrastructure maintenance.
_Clean Water State Revolving Fund Match - $936,600
Provides funds to meet the 20 percent state match required to draw down maximum federal funds for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Additional funding of $1.5 million will come
from a transfer from the Rural Center Infrastructure Program.
_Drinking Water State Revolving Fund - $5.5 million
Provides funds to meet the 20% State match required to draw down maximum federal funds for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
_Clean Water Management Trust Fund - $50 million
_Aid to Municipalities – $3.3 million
G.S. 136-41.1 requires an adjustment based on revised projections for motor fuels tax revenue. The total transfer is $87.8 million.
_Water Resources Development Projects - $4.9 million
Provides funds for the state's share of Water Resources Development Projects. Funds will provide a State match for $57.7 million in federal funds.
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
