Legislative Initiatives

I introduced the following bills this week:

HB2185 Low-Emission Vehicles: This bill would require that cars sold in North Carolina have lower emissions of harmful pollutants than currently required. Cars contribute up to 30% of North Carolina’s smog forming pollution and up to 60% of airborne carcinogens. Eleven other states have adopted similar requirements.

HB2186 Private Drinking Water Wells/Local Well Programs: This bill would provide funding for testing and clean up of wells around known groundwater contamination hot spots. More than 2 million North Carolinians get their drinking water from small private wells.

HB2163 Underground Storage Tank Amendments: This bill would begin the process of transitioning the State from providing financial assurance for owners and operators of underground storage tanks to requiring owners and operators to obtain private financial assurance.

HB2166 Stormwater Management 2006: This bill would attempt to address pollution from stormwater runoff, which has become a major water quality problem in North Carolina, particularly in the rapidly developing areas of the State. The Environmental Management Commission has adopted several versions of stormwater management rules, which have been opposed by the development community. This bill proposes a negotiated settlement to the controversies surrounding stormwater management.

HB2187 Child Lead Poisoning/DENR Authority: This bill would clarify the authority of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources to protect children from exposure to dangerous levels of lead.

HB2192 Amend Solid Waste Franchise Statutes: This bill would require that local governments provide adequate public notice of award or renewal of franchise agreements governing proposed landfills. Proposals to construct and operate a number of large landfills in the State are pending. If these proposed landfills are permitted, the State could become a net importer of trash.

HB2125 Extend Climate Change Commission: This bill would extend the deadline for the Global Warming/Climate Change Commission’s report to the Legislature. The Commission has been working hard to tackle this enormous task and will need more time to develop its findings and recommendations.

HB2127 State Parks System Additions: This bill would authorize the addition of two new State parks to the State Parks System. One of the new additions would be located in Avery County; the other would be located along the border of Pender and Onslow Counties.

HB2072 and HB2073 would provide special license plates for EMTs and the NC Chapter of the American Lung Association, both of which were requested by constituents.

HB2212 Lottery Oversight Committee (referenced above)

I have also filed bills requesting funding for the following:

The Music Academy (H1918), Civil Rights Museum (H1946), Charlotte Hawkins Brown (H1947), Guilford Tech Classroom Construction (H1948), Land Loss Prevention Project (H2071), Community Based Correction (H2246)