Pricey's Page

Voter Owned Elections Pilot

2007-09-12T18:29:00.000-04:00

House Bill 1517, signed by the Governor on August 30, 2007, sets up a pilot program for publicly financed races for 3 of the 10 Council of State races. Beginning in 2008, candidates for Commissioner of Insurance, State Auditor, and Superintendent of Public Instruction will have the voluntary option of financing their campaigns using a publicly supported fund, but only if they can demonstrate adequate grassroots support, spelled out in the bill. The law contains rescue fund provisions similar to those in HB 1828. This pilot project, which will be reviewed regularly, is very important given that the candidates for those seats often have to raise money from communities they regulate. It should allow for more interested citizens to run, since the costs associated with a statewide race now exceed $1million. And it will free up the candidates to focus on the issues and to have more time to interact with the voting public. As a participant in two very expensive legislative races, I look forward to an alternative financing system for our legislative races as well.

Please remember that you can visit the General Assembly's website at www.ncleg.net to look up bills and access other information. Also, please continue to remain in touch regarding issues that affect you and your family, and our community.

Cheers

Pricey

Strengthen Judicial Fund

2007-09-12T18:26:00.000-04:00

Representatives Luebke, Howard, and I sponsored House Bill 1828 which gives candidates participating in the judicial campaign public financing program more protection from bogus third-party "issue ads." The 2006 experience with Fairjudges.net exposed the weakness in our public financing system for judicial campaigns that prohibited access to matching funds for participating candidates if certain specific words were not used in the independent expenditure. The law, signed by the Governor on August 30, 2007, fixes the problem by providing wider access to rescue money and it helps improve the integrity of the judicial program. It also provides an important check on 527-financed "independent expenditures" in our state's judicial elections, although we are limited by the constitution in how much we can regulate these types of expenditures.

Electoral College

2007-09-12T18:25:00.002-04:00

This session there were two bills introduced that would have reformed how the state allocates its votes in the electoral college. The first bill, Senate Bill 954 , would make North Carolina part of a compact of states that would agree to elect the president by a national popular vote. Each member state would conduct a statewide popular election to produce a national popular vote total. The presidential slate with the largest national popular vote total would be the national popular vote winner and would receive all of the electoral votes from the states that were members of the compact. The bill passed the Senate, but it is still in committee in the House and will be eligible for consideration during next year's session, although it is not likely to be heard.

The second bill, Senate Bill 353, would allow the state to divide its electoral college votes based on the winner of the popular vote in each of the state's 13 congressional districts. The remaining two electoral votes would be given to the winner of the statewide popular vote. The bill passed the Senate and can still be considered in the House during the 2008 session. This bill, too, is unlikely to be heard.

Same Day Registration

2007-09-12T18:25:00.001-04:00

We approved a new law, House Bill 91, that allows residents to register and vote right away at one-stop voting sites during the last 2 ½ weeks before an election. Under the old law voters could vote early at one-stop voting sites, but registration ended 25 days before an election. Safeguards are in place to prevent voter fraud. The bill is intended to open up the voting process by eliminating some of the time barriers and by making it easy for people who want to vote to do so quickly and conveniently. This extended registration should help university students in particular, and in increase the number of young people voting.

Election Law Reform

2007-09-12T18:24:00.001-04:00

This session the General Assembly made a few changes to election law. We ratified and Governor Easley signed into law a bill that makes it a felony to instruct or coerce non-citizens to vote. The bill, House Bill 1743, also establishes misdemeanor penalties for breaching ballot secrecy or trying to convince a person to select a party affiliation other than one of their own choosing. The bill also allows combined ballots and provides civil penalties for officials who are late reporting campaign contributions and expenditures. Penalties can be as high as three times the amount of funds concealed if the State Board of Elections finds that the officials deliberately concealed contributions or expenditures.

Greetings From Raleigh 09-12-07

2007-09-12T18:20:00.000-04:00

This week's newsletter highlights changes made to our elections laws this past session, and begins with a summary of this week's special session.

Governor Mike Easley called the General Assembly back for a historic special session on Monday to consider whether to override his veto of a bill House Bill 1761 that would have provided $40 million in economic incentives to Goodyear to maintain its tire plant in Cumberland County. Legislative leaders and the Governor's office worked hard to devise a compromise that would avoid a first ever veto override. The compromise that was reached House Bill 4 expands available funds to $60 million and widens the pool of those companies that can access the money. In order to qualify, companies must employ at least 2000 in a Tier 1 county, and promise to spend at least $200 million in investments in the company. Governor Easley negotiated some wage and employment level standards tied to the grants, but the compromise otherwise is not much different from the bill he vetoed except that it spends more taxpayer money providing cash grants to existing companies. Recipients can reduce their workforce, although the grant amounts will be proportionately reduced. Rep. Paul Luebke tried to insert a "clawback" amendment that would require repayment of grants for laying off workers, but that failed. This bill sets a dangerous precedent by giving cash to existing companies to maintain jobs, and appears to have opened the floodgates to handouts of taxpayer money to multi billion dollar companies. The bill passed on a party line vote, with 3 Democrats (Reps. Luebke, Weiss, and me) voting no.

* * * * * * * *

One important goal of the House of Representatives during the recent regular session was to reform election laws to make the elections process more accessible, transparent, and effective. It is imperative that our citizens have every opportunity to participate in government at all levels and the ability to make informed decisions is fundamental. To do this, we tried to make voting simpler and passed laws to improve our electoral college system. In addition, we expanded voter-owned elections to include three Council of State races.

This week, I will review some of the efforts we have made in this area.

Miscellany 09/05/07

2007-09-05T18:17:00.000-04:00

We appropriated nine and a half million dollars to buy and house 634,458 flu shots for flu season.

The State public health laboratory will receive $500,000 to test medications for HPV; food and tick borne diseases; and HIV testing for pregnant women. $2 million will go towards HIV prevention. This funding will go to local health departments, historically black universities and colleges, and community organizations to provide HIV counseling, testing, and early medical interventions. In addition, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the Health Disparities Initiative will both receive $500,000. I have been a strong advocate for this funding.

We also banned smoking in government owned spaces with House Bill 24 and have made all schools tobacco free, Senate Bill 1086.

The Allied Health Program will receive $5.6 million. The program is course of study emphasized in the community college system to address the shortage of allied health jobs.

You can visit the General Assembly's website at www.ncleg.net to look up bills, view lawmaker biographies, and access other information to assist in keeping you informed.

Cheers,
Pricey

Women's Health

2007-09-05T18:16:00.001-04:00

Women's Health Services will receive $200,000 to serve women who are uninsured and are not eligible for Medicaid. We have also set aside $2 million for screening and diagnostic services for breast and cervical cancer through the North Carolina Breast and Cervical Caner Control Program.

Parents and guardians of children in grades 5-12 will receive information about cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia, human papillomavirus, and the vaccines. The General Assembly ratified a bill, Senate Bill 260, that requires public schools give parents this information at the beginning of the school year.

Health Centers

2007-09-05T18:16:00.000-04:00

Community health centers and groups are on the frontline of the battle to keep our people healthy and strong. This session's budget includes $5 million for rural health centers, free clinics, and school-based clinics. Local health departments will receive $1 million to help them reduce rates of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, injury, and infant mortality.

Insurance and Prescritptions

2007-09-05T18:15:00.000-04:00

We, in the General Assembly, believe that health insurance should be included with employment. We have given a tax credit to small businesses that provide health insurance to their employees. This will help lower the employers' cost of providing health insurance and increase the number of people who have insurance.

NC Health Net, a program that coordinates free care for low income, uninsured patients will receive almost $3 million.

The Medication Access and Review Program will receive more than $500,000 to get free prescription drugs from pharmaceutical companies for the poor.

Children's Insurance

2007-09-05T18:13:00.000-04:00

Legislators gave North Carolina's Health Choice (SCHIP) $59 million to provide healthcare to the 246,000 uninsured children in this state. Families who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford rising health insurance premiums, can get free or reduced priced comprehensive health care for their children with NC Health Choice. It offers the same coverage provided by the state indemnity health plan for the families of state employees and teachers, plus vision, hearing, and dental benefits. The out of pocket costs for the program cannot exceed five percent of the family's income. Unfortunately the federal funding that supplements our program is at risk. President Bush has threatened to veto the federal legislation which is still being negotiated.

NC Kids' Care will receive $7 million to expand health coverage to children between 200-300% of the federal poverty level. This expansion of health insurance means that thousands more children who are not covered by SCHIP or other programs will become eligible for affordable health coverage. NC Kids' Care, which begins on July 1, 2008, will make available affordable health insurance coverage to 38,000 currently uninsured children Families would pay deductibles, co-payments, and monthly premiums subsidized on a sliding scale based on income.

Legislators also appropriated $250,000 for pediatric diabetes prevention and education.

The Smart Start program will receive nearly one and a half million dollars. Smart Start is an early childhood education program that makes sure children in all counties are healthy and ready for school. Smart Start funds are used to improve the quality of child care, make child care more affordable and accessible, provide access to health services, and offer family support. I had sponsored legislation for such funding, House Bill 365, with Rep. Alexander.

High Risk Insurance Pool

2007-09-05T18:11:00.000-04:00

This session the General Assembly also ratified a bill, House Bill 265, that will create a high risk insurance pool to help those who suffer from serious or terminal illnesses. These people are often considered uninsurable or are forced to pay expensive premiums because of their illness. This pool will make sure they get the affordable insurance they deserve and ultimately receive the preventative care they need to stay healthy. Rep. Verla Insko has been the champion on this and was able to overcome the objections of the insurance industry in pushing for the high risk pool.

Mental Health Parity

2007-09-05T18:08:00.000-04:00

This session the General Assembly passed, and Gov. Easley signed, a law that provides insurance parity to people who receive mental health services. The new law, House Bill 973, requires insurance companies to cover bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and three other mental illnesses the same way that they treat and cover physical illnesses.

The bill started out with broader coverage, but the insurance lobbyists successfully narrowed the field to the above illnesses. All other mental health conditions will be covered for up to 30 inpatient/outpatient days and 30 office visits. Representative Martha Alexander has been pushing this legislation for over 15 years and deserves most of the credit for its passage.

Medicaid

2007-09-05T18:07:00.000-04:00

Medicaid costs - an estimated $500 million this fiscal year- are a huge burden for counties to bear. The state will take over the counties' share of Medicaid costs in a three -year phase out. This will help ensure the long-term viability of the program and protects our small and rural counties with a large number of people on Medicaid. The members of the House of Representatives are very proud of this resolution to the Medicaid burden which had been placed on counties. Every county will end up with at least $500 thousand more than they would have had otherwise. This is going to free up money in the counties for school construction and other needs which might keep taxes from being raised and contribute to a better standard of living for all of the citizens of North Carolina.

Our citizens who receive this service can expect the same standard of care they have always received. Additionally, Legislators reason that shifting the entire cost to the state means that the long-term financial stability of the program will not be threatened.

Greetings From Raleigh 09-05-07

2007-09-05T18:03:00.000-04:00

This week's newsletter focuses on health care related legislation. But the news this past week has been dominated by the Governor's veto of a House Bill 1761, which gives Goodyear Tires $40 million over the next ten years to maintain its manufacturing plant in Fayetteville. This moves the incentives issue into a new era of giving multibillion dollar companies taxpayer's money to stay. It sets a dangerous precedent and I was one of just a few members to vote against this bill. It is anticipated that we will have a historic first time ever session to override the veto early next week.

This session we were determined to make health care in North Carolina more accessible and affordable and we made great strides. We approved landmark legislation on a range of health issues including the Medicaid swap, mental health parity, and insurance reform, described in more detail below.

Miscellaneous

2007-08-30T18:01:00.000-04:00

Developers in five cities who take significant energy conservation measures in their building projects will now be eligible for incentives such as higher density allowances. The cities that requested such authority are Asheville, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, and Wilmington.

Counties and cities can now reduce building permit fees or give partial rebates to encourage construction of buildings designed to conserve energy.

The North Carolina Building Code Council has been given authority to study how much hot water lines should be insulated to achieve greater energy efficiency and will amend the North Carolina State Building Code if necessary. The council has until April 2008 to report its findings to the state Environmental Review Commission and the General Assembly.

Have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day.

Cheers,

Pricey

Fuel

2007-08-30T17:54:00.001-04:00

Biodiesel fuel produced by an individual for their personal use in a private vehicle is no longer subject to the motor fuel excise tax under Senate Bill 1272 which we approved. Such fuel is sometimes made from discarded cooking oil or similar products and supporters of the measure argued the materials shouldn't be taxed twice. The Department of Revenue also acknowledged that it was difficult to collect taxes on this home grown fuel.

School buses that use diesel fuel must be able to operate with B20, fuel that contains at least 20 percent of biodiesel. Senate Bill 1452 also requires that beginning June 1, 2008, at least 2 percent of the fuel purchased annually by local school districts for school buses must be a minimum blend of B20. Thomasbuilt buses, here in NC, do meet the standard. Another bill, Senate Bill 1277, requires that new state-owned vehicles that run on diesel fuel must carry a warranty that assures they are capable of running on B20.

As part of the state budget, we improved the tax credit we have given since 2004 to companies that build renewable fuel production plants. The changes allow more flexibility in the credits and are expected to attract more such plants to the state.

Bioenergy

2007-08-30T17:54:00.000-04:00

We showed our support for alternative energy sources this year by expanding a bioenergy initiative at North Carolina State University. The $1.5 million in additional money will help researchers find new technologies for efficient and clean use of traditional energy sources; alternative, environmentally safe, and renewable energy sources; and research of energy technologies and their impact on the North Carolina's rural economy. The Southeastern Energy Field Laboratory in Duplin County will be the focal point of much of the work and will also serve as a demonstration site for bioenergy, wind, thermal, and solar projects.

Conservation

2007-08-30T17:49:00.000-04:00

The state continues to try to be a model for responsible energy use and a bill we approved this year backs up our commitment. The bill, Senate Bill 668, requires existing state buildings to reduce energy consumption 20 percent by 2010 and 30 percent by 2015, based on 2003-04 levels. New buildings are designed and constructed to use 30 percent less energy. It also requires state agencies and institutions to file annual energy management plans, strategies, and reports on consumption. I sponsored the House companion, House Bill 1075, with Representatives Carney, Underhill, and Thomas.

Renewable Energy

2007-08-30T17:28:00.000-04:00

North Carolina took a major step forward this year in environmental policy in Senate Bill 3 by establishing a requirement that North Carolina power utilities get at least 12.5 percent of their power from renewable sources -- such as wind, biomass, and solar energy -- and energy efficiency by 2021. A utility must meet at least 7.5 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy sources and can meet as much as 5 percent from improved efficiencies. The REPS has minimum set aside requirements for power from poultry waste, swine waste, and solar energy. The solar set aside is important in creating a market in NC for the solar industry, but the animal waste set asides are troubling. The swine set aside may result in perpetuating a flawed and polluting lagoon and sprayfield system for handling the waste, which has made life intolerable for neighbors of many of the industrial-sized hog farms. Representative Jean Farmer-Butterfield and I pushed to amend the bill on the House floor to require that those farms meet certain performance standards, but the effort failed.

Unfortunately, Senate Bill 3 started out as a renewable energy bill similar to House Bill 77 that I sponsored with Representatives Martin, Harrell, and Justice, became a broader base load financing bill. It contains provisions which make it easier to construct new nuclear and coal-fired power plants. The bill was the subject of months of negotiations, and it became clear that it would be difficult to pass an REPS without the utilities sweeteners. We worked hard with environmental, health, and public interest advocates to soften the baseload provisions and in the final analysis, the good outweighed the bad. The bill is expected to help cut our carbon emissions by 13 million tons and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. The REPS will also expand the market for renewable energy, and is predicted to create as many as 20,000 jobs. Governor Easley signed the bill into law two weeks ago, and I am proud that North Carolina is now the first state in the Southeast with a renewable energy standard.

Sentate Bill 3 also changes our renewable energy tax credit to now allow a donor to a non-profit to take advantage of the tax credit that would otherwise be available to the non-profit. This should encourage churches and other non-profits to pursue more aggressive renewable energy options, such as solar panels.

Our budget ensures the future of the State Energy Office, the state's lead agency for energy programs and services, by appropriating nearly $2.7 million from the general fund for operating costs. Nearly $2 million of the money will be used for a utility savings initiative and to support the operation of energy centers at North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Appalachian State University. The state also gave the office $5 million for a reserve fund to support energy efficiency in state buildings. Readers may remember that the Senate proposed cutting funding, but the House leadership, the Governor, energy advocates, and I pushed hard for this funding.

A new law prevents municipalities or neighborhood associations from banning the use of solar panels. The panels use the heat of the sun to produce energy. They are sometimes banned because they are considered unsightly, but a bill, Senate Bill 670 signed into law last month prohibits outright bans while still allowing reasonable rules about where the panels can be located. Representative Susan Fisher and I sponsored the House companion, House Bill 1187.

Greetings From Raleigh 08-30-07

2007-08-30T17:26:00.000-04:00

This week's newsletter highlights some of our energy related bills from this session. It is becoming abundantly clear that we are having a potentially inalterable impact on the earth's climate, seemingly directly related to our carbon emissions. Scientists say that if we don't act soon to reduce our carbon emissions, we will be close to reaching a tipping point of catastrophic climate change by 2015. NC ranks 24th in the world in carbon emissions (more than many similarly-sized countries) and we must act immediately to reduce our contribution to this problem. It is also clear that fossil fuel resources, particularly oil, are not infinite, and many of them are located in parts of the world that don't like us very much.

To support the tremendous growth we expect in North Carolina over the next 20 years, we have to work now to make better use of renewable energy, find alternative fuels, and to find more and better ways to conserve energy. North Carolina took some important steps this session toward establishing energy independence and implementing a more sustainable energy future , led in large part by Speaker Hackney's commitment to these issues.

We became the first state in the Southeast to set a renewable energy portfolio standard (REPS). We resolved to cut energy use in state buildings, and we agreed to make it more affordable for people to use and produce biofuels and bioenergy.

In the years ahead, these types of initiatives will become increasingly important to maintaining our strong economy and our quality of life.

Miscellany

2007-08-23T17:21:00.000-04:00

Additional environmental legislation approved this session includes:

The Legislature approved House Bill 859, which establishes a fairer fee for mitigation for development in the impaired Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River basins. Last year, at the behest of developers, the Legislature reversed the Environmental Management Commission's fee increase for the nutrient offset program, reverting the fees to a lower, woefully inadequate amount while the issue was studied. A consultant study has been done, and the bill sets the fee at around $28 per pound for nitrogen in the Neuse, $22 for nitrogen in the Tar-Pam, and $28 for phosphorous in the Tar-Pam, and directs DENR to transition to a program based on actual cost of mitigation based on the least cost alternative. I voted against the bill because it is not clear that developers are paying their fair share.

A potentially troubling bill regarding bridge construction, House Bill 1005, was passed on the last day of session. After severe flooding during Hurricane Floyd, which washed out bridges and damaged associated infrastructure like power lines and sewer lines, DOT began a policy or practice of elevating their bridges over streams. This bill contains a provision that reverses that policy by requiring DOT to construct bridges to accommodate the 100 year flood level, which, in the coastal plain especially, is not strong enough. The bill further states that bridges shall be built "without regard for riparian buffer zones" and expressly prohibits rules or agreements between departments contrary to this mandate. I voted against this bill.

We have approved a bill that undermines the Fisheries Reform Act and erodes the authority of the Marine Fisheries Commission. House Bill 1017 restricts fishing for menhaden with purse seine nets off the coast of Brunswick County from May through October. It is not good policy for the NCGA to be making specific fisheries management decisions, particularly when we have a strong fisheries management program in place. Management disputes between commercial and recreational fishermen are emotionally charged and require good science and expertise, not meddling by the legislature. I voted against this bill as well.

Two additional bad environmental bills are still alive for the short session. Senate Bill 150 would permit additional tree removal around billboards. The bill passed the Senate, but does not appear to have any momentum for House action. Another troubling environmental bill, Senate Bill 599, which would allow Figure 8 Island to construct a terminal groin at the north end of the island in contravention to our 20-year-old ban on hardened structures on our beaches, also appears to have no momentum in the House.

Please continue to contact me regarding issues which impact you, your family, and your community. I value the input of my constituents and want to continue to be responsive to your cares and concerns.

Regards,

Pricey

Water

2007-08-23T17:14:00.000-04:00

A new law allows existing hog waste lagoons to continue to operate, but bans the construction of new ones. Hog lagoons have become an environmental concern in the past decade as the number of swine farms have grown. The pits, where the hogs' waste is collected and then sprayed on fields as fertilizer, often breach their banks during hurricanes or heavy rains, polluting waterways and soil and contaminating the groundwater. The state has had a moratorium on new lagoons for the past 10 years, but replacing them with new, cleaner technology is expensive. The bill, Senate Bill 1465, (I co-sponsored the house companion, House Bill 1115), signed into law, proposes a $2 million a year cost-sharing program to help farmers pay the cost of replacing the pits with more environmentally friendly systems. The new systems could produce useful byproducts such as compost or electricity from the methane gas released. The law includes a provision that allows up to 50 swine farms to join a pilot program that will allow farmers to sell methane gas to power companies. The compromise bill is supported by farm, industry, and some environmental groups and would represent a major step forward after years of trying to find better ways to handle hog waste. The neighbors of the offending hog farms are upset that we have not done more to phase out the lagoons by a date certain. Representative Earl Jones and I introduced House Bill 1822, to phase out lagoons and sprayfield systems, but it had no traction this session.

The state improved the process for transferring water from one water basin to another by requiring more public hearings, a study of the environmental impact of the transfer, and granting the Environmental Management Commission authority to appoint a mediator to settle differences between applicants and other parties. The bill, House Bill 820, has passed both chambers and awaits the signature of Governor Easley.

We established a new category of present use value to help preserve working waterfronts. Senate Bill 646 promotes traditional coastal uses in the face of rampant coastal development by allowing piers and fish houses to get the lower "present use value" tax rate, creates an advisory committee on working waterfront access, directs DOT to consider access issues, raises boating fees, and waives emergency CAMA permit fees.

The House provided funding for the hiring of seven new sediment and erosion control inspectors to help with North Carolina's top water quality problem - sediment. We also set aside $615,000 for private well testing, notification, and emergency drinking water supplies for low income residents with contaminated drinking water. These have both been priorities of mine for the past three sessions.

Air

2007-08-23T17:13:00.000-04:00

For the first time since 1991, we increased the penalty for air quality violations from $10,000 to $25,000. This increase puts North Carolina in line with other Southern states and moves us closer to the federal maximum fine for air quality violations of $32,500. In a separate matter, we set aside $500,000 to install pollution controls on diesel-powered school buses. That will allow us to access matching federal funds to cut back on emissions harmful to school children and bus drivers.

Land

2007-08-23T17:06:00.000-04:00

We strengthened regulations for the construction of landfills this session, requiring companies to prove they have adequate funding to maintain, close, and provide post-closure maintenance for a landfill. Several companies had planned to build landfills in North Carolina before legislators put a moratorium on such projects last year. The companies were attracted to the state because of our inexpensive land, our central location on the East Coast, our weak regulations, and lack of a surcharge on garbage. The bill that has been signed into law, Senate Bill 1492, (I was primary sponsor of the House companion, House Bill 1233), allows the state to collect $2 a ton for garbage disposal. Half of the money will be used to assess and update more than 700 old landfills and dumps that operated before the state adopted environmental protection standards. The other half will go to local governments and the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund to help pay for recycling and other solid waste management issues. The bill also creates an efficient and enforceable computer collection and recovery system, and it allows the state to reject a landfill permit based on what impact the facility will have on poor or minority communities. This change in the law will probably prevent the planned construction of several large landfills in the state. A companion bill, Senate Bill 6, allows those companies to be paid reparations if the new regulations prevent them from getting a permit to operate a landfill, which sets a bad precedent and is bad public policy.

The state's Land for Tomorrow Initiative will get $120 million in bond money to protect our forests, parks and greenways, historic areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and stream borders from development. The Land for Tomorrow partnership is a coalition of people and organizations throughout the state that is promoting the preservation of 1 million acres in North Carolina over the next five years. The Division of Marine Fisheries will get $20 million of the money to help preserve beach access. The Farmland Preservation Trust Fund will get an additional $8 million to protect farms from development. The pressure to develop land in the state has grown increasingly as the state's population grows and there is a need for more housing and commercial development, as a result we are losing farmland at the fastest rate in the nation. Also, some farmers leaving the industry feel forced to sell their property because of high land costs. This $128 million will help them and help make sure the state has healthy development.

An important change to the "present use value" tax rate system has passed the House and is eligible for consideration in the short session. I introduced House Bill 1889, with Representatives Brubaker, Gibson, and Hill, which would remove a disincentive for conservation that exists in the present use value system. Under current law, if a property owner takes a land out of cultivation and turns it over to wildlife or conservation management, he or she must pay a large tax penalty. This bill creates a new category of present use value for such instances, and was approved overwhelmingly by the House at the end of the session, despite opposition from the counties, Farm Bureau, and Forestry Association. I was proud of my colleagues for recognizing the problem and supporting this bill which we have been working on for over 5 years.

Greetings From Raleigh 08-23-07

2007-08-23T16:57:00.000-04:00

Last week's newsletter summarized the highlights of our session completed on August 2, 2007. For the next several weeks, I will try to focus in more detail on specific issue areas. This week's focus is on conservation and environmental protection.

One of the bright spots of this session is the success we had in protecting our land, air, and water. It was one of the goals we had set for the session and by many accounts we had a landmark session in this regard. We became the first state in the Southeast to establish a renewable energy standard. We permanently banned the construction of new hog lagoons and continued to put money into finding safer, cleaner, and more affordable alternatives for farmers who operate existing ones. We established stronger rules to govern the construction of landfills in our state, which will protect our communities and prevent North Carolina from becoming a dumping ground for other states. We also authorized $100 million in bonds for the Land for Tomorrow preservation program to protect valuable land from being developed and an additional $20 million to preserve beach access. We allocated $8 million to preserve farmland and gave the Clean Water Management Trust Fund $100 million to protect our waters. We also set aside $100 million in grants to help communities replace their aging water and sewer systems.

Investments in these projects and others will protect the natural resources that have made North Carolina such a desirable place to live. They will also ensure that we continue to enjoy the quality of life we have now even as our population continues to grow.

We also made several changes to improve and strengthen the state's energy policies. These changes will reduce our dependence on foreign oil as well as our carbon footprint, strengthen the local market for alternative energy, and save us all money over time. I will share some of those new policies with you in more detail in the next newsletter.

Miscellaneous Bills To Be Considered In The Short Session

2007-08-16T21:00:00.000-04:00

House Bill 205, which I introduced with Rep. George Cleveland, would repeal the in-state tuition provision for out-of-state athletes which had been slipped into the 2005 budget. Taxpayers will be subsidizing UNC system booster clubs with $8 million in 2008 as a result of the provision, and the cost will continue to increase. The bill was approved overwhelmingly by the House and may be considered by the Senate in the short session.

House Bill 1889, which I introduced with Representatives Brubaker, Gibson, and Hill, would remove a disincentive for conservation that exists in the present use value system. Under current law, if a property owner takes a tract of land out of cultivation and turns it over to wildlife or conservation management, he or she must pay a large tax penalty. This bill creates a new category of present use value for such instances, and was approved overwhelmingly by the House at the end of session, despite opposition from the counties, Farm Bureau, and the Forestry Association. I was proud of my colleagues for recognizing this problem and supporting this bill that we have been working on for over 5 years.

Gun issues saw little momentum this session. Two important bills that passed the House appear mired in the Senate, and we were not able to make any progress on setting up a data base to avoid the type of situation that arose with the tragic Virginia Tech shooting. House Bill 1287, sponsored by Representatives Jeffus, Sutton, and me, would have allowed for sharing of information among Sheriffs’ departments when an individual has been turned down for a gun permit. House Bill 1847 would have required reporting of lost or stolen guns to reduce illegal gun trafficking. The gun lobby appears to have effectively stopped both of those important bills in the Senate. Representatives Glazier, Weiss, and I will continue to work on the data base issue for involuntary commitments to prohibit access to gun purchases. There will be grant money available as a result of federal legislation inspired by the Virginia Tech tragedy. The NRA has supported the federal bill, so we hope to avoid that opposition at the state level.

Two bad environmental bills are still alive. Senate Bill 150 would permit additional tree removal around bill boards. The bill passed the Senate, but doesn't appear to have any momentum for House action. Another troubling environmental bill, Senate Bill 599, which would allow Figure 8 Island to construction a terminal groin at the north end of the island in contravention of our 20- year-old ban on hardened structures on our beaches, also appears to have little momentum in the House.

House Bill 1587 which would have effectively prohibited local governments from offering broadband and wireless services was turned into a study bill, and should be alive in the short session. This bill was actively opposed by all consumer interests as well as those representing local governments.

There are other bills relating to the death penalty, school bullying, comprehensive sex education, gay marriage, eminent domain, and others, that will still be alive during the short session.

We anticipate continuing the newsletter during the interim, although it will be shorter and perhaps less frequent. We continue to encourage you to keep in touch with our office with your concerns and questions during the interim as well as when the Legislature is in session.

Cheers,
Pricey

Additional Ratified Legislation

2007-08-16T20:54:00.000-04:00

Spay Neuter Funding

Sen. Kinnaird's bill, Senate Bill 684 which establishes a spay and neuter funding mechanism, was approved during the final days of session. NC had the highest kill rate (over 250,000 in 2006) of abandoned pets in the US, spending over $35 million of taxpayer money in capturing, housing, and euthanizing the animals. A portion of pet fees from rabies inoculations will be set aside to provide funding for lower income pet owners to spay and neuter their pets. This has been a years’ long battle, and animal activists agree that this is progress.

Adoptees

Adults who were adopted can now more easily access information about their birth parents and medical information, as a result of the approval of House Bill 445. The bill is scaled down from its original proposal, but advocates anticipate the issue being studied in the interim, with proposed changes coming in the short session.

Consumer Protection

We passed three important bills on issues relating to predatory lending and mortgage protection, which Governor Easley signed into law today. House Bill 1374 makes the foreclosure process fairer and helps protect homeowners from abusive mortgage loan servicing. House Bill 1817 protects home buyers from predatory lending practices and ensures they can afford to repay the loans made to them. House Bill 947 requires notice to tenants (and an opportunity to terminate the lease) when the property they are renting is foreclosed on.

Assistance to Seniors

In addition to several items in the budget, we approved several bills aimed at protecting our senior citizens. House Bill 1499 expands and improves the property tax homestead exemption. House Bill 1537 improves the process for the recovery of estates of individuals forced to go on Medicaid, most typically when they enter a long-term care facility. Senate Bill 56 overhauls the penalty review process and makes other changes to long term care regulations that are more compassionate and consumer friendly. We also established a rating system for adult care homes.

Public Safety

2007-08-16T20:51:00.000-04:00

The General Assembly also ratified and Gov. Easley signed into law a bill to protect our children from Internet sexual predators. The bill, House Bill 29, will require recidivist sexually violent predators to enroll in a satellite-based monitoring system for life. We also protected victims of domestic violence with House Bill 46 that provides secure areas separated from the court room where victims can wait until their trial is heard. Another bill, House Bill 47, makes it a felony to violate a protective order related to a domestic violence case while in possession of a deadly weapon.

Ethics 8-16-07

2007-08-16T20:46:00.000-04:00

Legislators have continued their efforts to improve ethical standards in government. Under Senate Bill 1218 ratified by the General Assembly, candidates who have been convicted of a felony would have to disclose that information when running for office. Another bill, Senate Bill 659, (I co-sponsored the House companion House Bill 1737) forfeits the pensions of elected officials who are convicted of a violation involving public corruption or election law. We also made changes to the State Government Ethics Act, House Bill 1110 and House Bill 1111, to make government proceedings more transparent to the public. The Governor signed both Thursday morning.

Election Reform

2007-08-16T20:44:00.000-04:00

In the final days of the session, we passed House Bill 1517, which establishes a pilot project of public financing for three Council of State races; the Insurance Commissioner, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Auditor. The program is modeled on the judicial public financing program. This is a voluntary program; candidates must opt-in.

We approved House Bill 1828, which I sponsored, and is meant to help participants in the judicial public financing program access rescue money when attacked by third parties, especially 527s. This bill is intended to prevent situations like ‘fairjudges.net’, which undermined the integrity of the judicial public financing program. The recent Supreme Court case, Wisconsin v Right to Life, has limited the regulation of 527s.

Earlier this session we passed House Bill 91 which allows for ‘one-stop’ registration and voting in advance of elections, with restrictions to guard against fraud. This should increase voter turnout, especially among young people.

Energy 8-16-07

2007-08-16T20:40:00.000-04:00

North Carolina will be the first state in the South East to adopt a renewable energy standard if Gov. Easley signs the energy bill into law. Senate Bill 3 ( I sponsored the original companion, House Bill 77, with Representatives Martin, Harrell, and Justice) requires North Carolina utility providers to obtain 12.5 percent of retail electricity from renewable energy. It also provides sweeteners for the utilities to construct new nuclear and coal-fired power plants. The bill should to help cut pollution, greenhouse gas levels, and our dependence on foreign oil.

Enviornment 8-16-07

2007-08-16T20:38:00.000-04:00

North Carolina’s natural resources will be better protected as a result of a bill that was ratified this session. The bill, Senate Bill 1492, (I sponsored the House companion, House Bill 1233, with Representatives Allen and Gibson) provides strict regulations for the construction of landfills including a statewide disposal tax and assurance of adequate funding to maintain, close, and provide post-closure maintenance for a landfill. Companies were attracted to North Carolina for landfill sites because of the inexpensive land, its location on the east coast, its weak regulations, and no surcharge on garbage. The bill will protect the state’s ground water supply and plants and animals in surrounding areas.

Healthcare

2007-08-16T20:36:00.000-04:00

A bill that provides insurance parity to people who receive mental health services was signed into law this session. The bill, House Bill 973, requires insurance companies to cover bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anorexia nervosa and bulimia, and three other mental illnesses the same way that they treat physical illnesses. All other mental health conditions will be covered for up to 30 inpatient/outpatient days and 30 office visits. Mental health parity has been debated in the North Carolina Legislature for 15 years. 36 other states already offer some form of mental health parity. We, as a state, still have a long way to go toward fixing mental health reform, but this bill is a start and is expected to save the state money by reducing the amount spent for public mental health services

The General Assembly ratified a bill, House Bill 265, that would create a high risk insurance pool. The pool will help those who suffer from serious illnesses and are often considered uninsurable have access to health insurance. These people are often forced to pay expensive premiums because of their illness. North Carolina is the 35^th state to enact such legislation.

The General Assembly has agreed to take over the counties’ share of Medicaid expenses – estimated at $520 million this fiscal year - over the next three years. Rural counties are particularly burdened by the increasing costs of Medicaid. In addition, we decided to give counties more flexibility by allowing them to raise additional taxes for school construction, infrastructure, and other improvements. Counties can decide to raise the sales tax by a quarter of a cent or the land transfer tax to 0.6 percent with local voter approval.

Education 8-16-07

2007-08-16T20:34:00.000-04:00

The General Assembly ratified and Gov. Easley signed into law a bill that will provide additional support to high-need schools. Schools classified as high-need schools will be issued more National Board Certified Teachers to lower the student-teacher ratio and give children more individualized attention. The bill, Senate Bill 1479, gives these teachers, and teachers who have received certain awards, the freedom to use research-based teaching techniques that go beyond the standard course of study.

Greetings From Raleigh 08-16-07

2007-08-16T20:32:00.000-04:00

On August 2, the General Assembly ended a very successful session. My colleagues and I have worked hard to pass laws that are important to our citizens. This session we passed landmark legislation in several areas including health care, energy efficiency, and protecting the environment. The last blog posts focused mostly on the budget. This week’s posts will be devoted to important legislation that was passed this session.

Security

2007-08-03T18:03:00.000-04:00

Just like you, we are passionate about protecting our children. We approved $4.8 million in grants for government agencies and groups working on gang violence prevention, intervention, and suppression efforts. We will continue efforts to protect our children from sexual predators by spending $237,000 to hire full-time investigators to handle child exploitation and sexual predator cases and $217,000 to operate a sex offender registry. We will protect children and victims of domestic violence by increasing spending on rape crisis and sexual assault services by nearly $900,000. We will help residents with lower incomes afford safe and affordable housing by increasing the North Carolina Housing Trust Fund to $5 million.

I continue to encourage you to contact me during the interim to share your concerns for the betterment of the quality of life for all our citizens.

Cheers,
Pricey

Military 8-03-07

2007-08-03T18:02:00.001-04:00

In support of our troops, the General Assembly approved business tax credits for employing reservists or National Guardsmen who are called to active duty. We have also set aside $420,000 to run three assistance centers to help families of deployed National Guardsmen. We will use $240,000 to hire four additional school counselors for largely military communities.

We will spend $1 million for morale, recreation, and welfare on our five military bases; $1.25 million for the North Carolina Military Business Center, which develops business in our military bases; and $1.5 million on the Defense and Security Technology Accelerator, which develops businesses related to homeland security and national defense. We have also created a $750,000 grant program to train sheriff's departments in immigration enforcement.

Economy and Finance

2007-08-03T18:02:00.000-04:00

We have managed to make the budget fiscally sound and have set aside $175 million for our reserve fund and $145 million for repair and renovation of state owned buildings. We also gave local governments authority to enact a quarter-cent sales tax or a land transfer tax of 4/10 of a penny with voter approval. This will help them build new schools to lessen the demands of increasing school populations and to make other infrastructure improvements without raising property taxes.

We know that our citizens work hard to provide for their families and pushed for a 3.5 percent refundable earned income tax credit to help working families, small businesses, and people who earn about $40,000 or less. We also appropriated $3 million to the North Carolina Minority Support Center and $1.5 million to the North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development to support businesses owned by minorities and women. We realize that people make mistakes and will give $3 million in tax breaks to help put released inmates back to work and help keep people from returning to prison. To stimulate job growth, we gave the One North Carolina Fund $14 million and appropriated $12.4 million for Job Development Investment Grants. These investments will stimulate our economy, create more jobs, and put more money in North Carolinians' pockets.

Environment 8-03-07

2007-08-03T18:01:00.000-04:00

North Carolina has some of the most beautiful natural habitats in the nation. We have set aside $120 million for the Land for Tomorrow program to protect our forests, parks and greenways, historic areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and land bordering streams. A longtime priority of mine, farmland preservation, received $8 million, its first substantial appropriation in a decade. We will spend $100 million to help municipalities improve their water and sewer systems. We also continue to study better ways to improve the treatment of swine waste and put $2 million toward that this year (although, regrettably, we were not able to require a date certain phase out of the swine lagoons). We provided funding for drinking water testing, notification, and emergency supplies for low income communities, something I have pushed for these past several sessions. And, we finally funded another priority of mine, seven new positions for sedimentation inspectors to help address our number one water quality problem in North Carolina.

We gave the State Energy Office $2.7 million for operating costs and $5 million to start a reserve fund to pay for energy efficiency programs. I pushed very hard for that funding, particularly after the utilities were able to persuade the Senate to eliminate all funding for the office. The Center for Bioenergy Technologies will receive $1.5 million to develop technologies for efficient and clean use of traditional energy sources, alternative and renewable energy sources, and researching energy technologies and their impact on the environment and North Carolina's economy.

Health 8-03-07

2007-08-03T17:59:00.001-04:00

We must take measures to keep our people strong and healthy. My colleagues and I agree Medicaid costs -an estimated $500 million this fiscal year- are a huge burden for counties to bear. The state will take over the counties' share of Medicaid costs in a three-year phase out. Counties will have extra money for school construction and other local needs without raising property taxes. This method protects our small counties and rural counties with a large number of people on Medicaid. We are very proud of this Medicaid swap. Every county will end up with at least $500,000 more than they would have had otherwise.

Small businesses that provide health insurance to their employees will receive a tax credit that will both lower employers' costs of providing insurance and increase the number of insured people. We also gave North Carolina's Health Choice (SCHIP) $59 million to provide healthcare to the 264,000 uninsured children in this state and gave the NC Kids' Care program for poor children $7 million. We added $2.7 million to hire 54 more school nurses and allocated $250,000 for pediatric diabetes prevention and education.

We appreciate the hard work of our senior citizens to build a strong foundation for this state and worked to show them our thanks through this budget. We set aside $7 million to provide a tax credit for families that purchase long-term care insurance and $250,000 in grants for community groups that help seniors enrolling in state and federal prescription drug plans. We established a rating system for adult care homes so families will have a better way to judge and compare these facilities. We also allocated $2 million to expand the state Health Care Personnel Registry, which will now include information on unlicensed personnel who work with patients.

This budget includes $4.6 million to improve and expand community-based treatment and support services for those with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse disorders. We appropriated $2 million for HIV prevention programs in local health departments and historically black colleges and universities, $2 million for screenings for breast and cervical cancer, $8.3 million to purchase and store 635,000 doses of flu vaccines, and $500,000 to reduce health disparities among whites and minority groups. The Healthy Carolinians initiative will receive $1 million to help local health departments lower rates of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity, and infant mortality. The University of North Carolina system will receive $25 million for cancer research, growing to $50 million in three years, and $8 million will be used to construct a cancer center at UNC- Chapel Hill.

Education 8-03-07

2007-08-03T17:59:00.000-04:00

We allocated $11.5 billion - 56 percent of the total budget - to education. The House ensured that we will provide resources in public schools to those who need it most - poor people and those at risk of dropping out of high school. A panel will distribute $7 million in grants to help schools and groups working on dropout prevention. The Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Fund will be increased by $17.6 million and teachers will receive a 5 percent pay raise. We also increased funding for academically gifted students by $1.75 million, gave an extra $5 million for children with disabilities, and allocated $5.7 million to hire 100 literacy coaches for middle schools.

Our students must be able to compete in today's technological world. To that end, we allocated $12 million to improve instructional technology in our schools and $3 million for pilot programs at eight high schools where each student and teacher will get a computer.

We will increase access to our universities and community colleges by providing $22 million for need-based grants in the University of North Carolina system. Both systems received all the money they requested for enrollment growth. We also allocated $127 million to the Education Access Rewards North Carolina (EARN) Scholars program to give 25,000 community college and UNC system students $4,000 need-based scholarships each year. Community colleges will get $15 million for a facilities and equipment grant program and $10 million for more equipment. Learn & Earn has also been increased by $2.4 million so that more high school students can earn college credits and the online component of the program increased by $11.5 million.

Greetings From Raleigh 08-03-07

2007-08-03T17:57:00.000-04:00

The House and Senate gave final approval this week to a $20.7 billion budget that strengthens education; lifts the Medicaid burden from our counties; and improves our health, environment, and economy. This budget addresses the needs of our students at all levels, will ensure efficient spending in government, and moves North Carolina forward.

I am very proud of the work we have done to reach this budget and am certain that it will better the lives of everyone across the state. The budget was one of the last items we considered during the session. The session wrapped up late Thursday night after we handled the last of the thousands of bills filed this year. I believe we had a successful session, continuing to address ethics reform, improving the lives of our military families, and protecting the environment. We also found a way to offer tax cuts and tax relief to small businesses and thousands of people who earn less than $40,000 a year.

This newsletter largely highlights the budget. We will send a wrap up summarizing the session next week. It was one of the best in recent memory and set a strong foundation for next year's short session.

Notes 7-28-07

2007-07-28T01:17:00.000-04:00

Legislators took time to honor the Tuskegee Airmen this week, including about 40 North Carolinians who were members of the famed cadre of black pilots that served in the segregated military during World War II. House Resolution 2063 lists the names of Tuskegee Airmen who were either born in or who live in North Carolina. Our state salutes them and their families.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation reports that child-wellness has improved in North Carolina. Although infant mortality has increased slightly - teen deaths, children living in poverty, and child deaths have all decreased. North Carolina ranks 39^thin the United State in overall child-wellbeing.

As we near the conclusion of this session of the General Assembly, I encourage you to continue to share your thoughts and concerns regarding legislation and circumstances which affect you and your family.

Cheers,
Pricey

Family 7-28-07

2007-07-28T01:15:00.000-04:00

This week Governor Mike Easley signed into law a bill that will give adult adoptees and their adult descendants easier access to adoption information. The bill, House Bill 445, allows social services departments and adoption agencies licensed by the state to obtain contact information and medical histories on behalf of adult adoptees. Adoptees and birth parents can also obtain identification information if both parties consent.

Traffic

2007-07-28T01:14:00.000-04:00

The House Committee on Finance is considering a bill that would allow the towns of Monroe, Marshville, and Wingate to use 90 percent of the money obtained from traffic violators caught by red light cameras to go to public schools. The bill, House Bill 1228, also raises the civil penalty for a violation detected by the red light cameras from $50 to $75. The bill comes after the state Supreme Court decided that the city of High Point had operated its red light camera system illegally by not giving the schools all the money required by law.

Health 7-28-07

2007-07-28T01:13:00.000-04:00

North Carolinians may soon have more control over whether or not they wish to receive “life-prolonging measures” and/or how they would like to end their lives while in medical care. The House Committee on Judiciary I cleared Senate Bill 1046, that simplifies the legal end-of-life forms. The bill allows North Carolinians to specify which methods they do not want used to prolong life unnaturally.

Real Taxpayer Subsidy

2007-07-28T01:11:00.000-04:00

Yesterday the House overwhelmingly approved House Bill 205, sponsored by Rep. George Cleveland and me, which repeals a budget provision slipped into the 2005 budget that would have given a taxpayer subsidy to the booster clubs affiliated with the UNC schools. The provision gave out-of-state students on an athletic scholarship in-state tuition, which counted them as in-state students for admission purposes as well. It was expected to cost the taxpayers $8 million in 2008-2009, and $12 million in 2009-2010. The House retained the provision for in-state tuition for academic scholarships which and largely benefits UNC and NCSU.

Justice 7-28-07

2007-07-28T01:09:00.000-04:00

The General Assembly ratified bills this week that would standardize and improve eyewitness lineups and police interrogations. The Eyewitness ID Reform Act, House Bill 1625, requires standardized procedures for lineups of individuals or photos. Lineups must be conducted by someone who is not involved in the investigation and has no information about potential suspects. The lineup would also have to be presented sequentially and witness confidence levels of an ID must be recorded. The second bill, House Bill 1626, requires interrogations in a homicide investigation to be recorded by video or audio. The bills now go to the governor to be signed into law.

The House has agreed to study whether the thousands of people who were sterilized through the state eugenics program in the early 20^th century should be compensated. Under House Bill 296, the Department of Health and Human Services will report the findings of the study to the General Assembly. In the early 20^th century, 30 states implemented eugenics programs to sterilize those who where considered mentally handicapped or genetically inferior to prevent these issues from being passed on genetically.

Assorted Environmental Legislation

2007-07-28T01:03:00.000-04:00

The Legislature has taken action on a variety of environmental issues:

Landfills. Senate Bill 1492, which proposes comprehensive changes to the state's landfill regulations, was approved by the Senate Friday. Senate Bill 716, which would extend the moratorium on new landfills for a year and has several of the noncontroversial changes from Senate Bill 1492 (I was a sponsor of the House companion, House Bill 1233), passed the House Environment Committee Friday. Rep. Pryor Gibson has stripped House Bill 1233 and made it a more industry friendly bill, but that has not been heard.

Nutrient Offset. This contentious issue has started moving as the session winds down. A bill passed last session that undid an Environmental Management Commission rule that set a mitigation fee for development in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico basins, and kept an artificially low fee in place. The Environmental Review Commission then studied this issue and considered alternatively higher fees. The realtor and developer lobby has pushed to keep the fees artificially low and inadequate to compensate for impact to the resource. On Friday, Senate Finance approved House Bill 589, which sets the fee at an intermediate level and refers the rule back to the EMC for further rulemaking.

Interbasin Transfer. On Friday, the Senate passed House Bill 820, which had been stripped of its contents to be replaced with the substance of Senate Bill 1421 (a bill addressing interbasin transfers, “IBT”) so that it can go back to the House for a concurrence vote, although the House has not discussed this highly contentious issue at all. The bill directs the EMC to tighten up its rules on transferring water between basins as well as requiring drought management measures equal to that in the donating basin. The bill does not contain a provision that would have undone the controversial Concord-Kannapolis transfer found in other IBT bills.

Impact Fees. Senate Bill 1180, sponsored by lieutenant governor candidate Sen Walter Dalton, which would severely restrict the ability of local governments to adopt impact fees for adequate facilities ordinances, has been sent to the Senate floor. The bill prohibits local governments from imposing impact fees or payments in exchange for project approval unless local government has explicit authority to do so under North Carolina law. Senate Bill 1152, requires that if a city or county illegally exacts a fee and is required by a court ruling to repay the fee, the local government must pay it back with 6% interest.

Billboards. Senate Bill 150 has also passed the Senate. This bill would allow billboard companies to substantially increase the area for cutting trees and other vegetation around billboards. It is not expected to move in the House this session.

Hogs 7-28-07

2007-07-28T00:59:00.000-04:00

The North Carolina House voted unanimously to accept a bill that would replace hog lagoons with more environmentally friendly systems. Under the bill, Senate Bill 1465, existing lagoons could continue to operate but, no new lagoons could be built. Hog lagoons have led to polluted waterways during floods and created intolerable living conditions for neighbors. I cosponsored Rep. Carolyn Justice’s stronger House companion, House Bill 1115. The state has had a moratorium on new lagoons for the past 10 years, but replacing them with new, cleaner technology is expensive. The bill proposes a $2 million a year cost-sharing program to help farmers pay the cost of replacing the pits with systems that meet performance standards relating to odor, toxins, contaminants, or nutrients. The new systems could produce useful byproducts such as compost or electricity from the methane gas released. The bill is supported by environmental, farm, and industry groups, and would represent a major step forward after years of trying to find better ways to handle hog waste. The compromise will protect farmers’ investments and livelihoods while also keeping the state’s waters and soil clean. I share the concerns of many advocates who want a date certain for the phaseout of existing lagoons which the bill does not contain. The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Easley for his signature.

Energy 7-28-07

2007-07-28T00:57:00.000-04:00

The House has moved closer to passing comprehensive changes to the state's current energy policy. Senate Bill 3 has passed the House Energy and Energy Efficiency, Public Utilities, and Finance Committees this week. The House Energy Committee, which I chair, voted the bill out on Monday afternoon after 6 hours of hearings. Rep. Grier Martin and I spent several hours Monday morning with utilities lobbyists negotiating changes to the bill and I think we came up with some good improvements which we added in the Energy Committee. By way of reminder, not much happens at the General Assembly that impacts the utilities that the utilities haven't signed off on. The bill is much improved, having added better environmental controls on the renewable energy provisions. We also added a requirement that utilities prove that they cannot meet any increased energy demands with renewables and efficiencies prior to getting approval to build a plant. The troubling swine set asides and CWIP provisions remain in the bill. At this point, I do feel that the good outweighs the bad. If we do not adopt a renewable energy standard this session, I think we have lost the chance for a few sessions. We can't wait much longer to start weaning ourselves off fossil fuels and pursuing a more sustainable energy future. Senate Bill 3 starts us on that path.

Greetings From Raleigh 07-28-07

2007-07-28T00:56:00.000-04:00

The North Carolina House of Representatives completed negotiations this week on a state budget. We hope to give the budget final approval on Monday.

The budget invests heavily in education, increasing the amount of money given for scholarships and grants by millions of dollars, while also putting more money into preschool programs. Budget conferees also agreed to take over the counties’ share of Medicaid expenses – estimated at $520 million this fiscal year - over the next three years. This will help our rural counties that are particularly burdened by the increasing costs of Medicaid. In addition, it was decided to give counties more flexibility by allowing them to raise additional taxes for school construction, infrastructure, and other improvements. Counties can decide to raise the sales tax by a quarter of a cent or the land transfer tax to 0.6 percent with local voter approval. There are also good provisions and funding for environmental protection and conservation.

I will provide more details about the budget plan next week after the final version is approved.

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.

Notes 7-20-07

2007-07-20T17:29:00.000-04:00

The House honored the late Sen. Jeanne Lucas on Tuesday, remembering her as a lawmaker dedicated to improving education. Lucas, a former teacher and school administrator, died in March at the age of 71. She had served in the Senate since 1993. Sen. Lucas was a champion for environmental justice causes in addition to her leadership on education and poverty related issues. Her family and many of her friends sat in the audience as Lucas' colleagues recalled her humor and the guidance she often provided.

While the days ahead will be hectic and long, I continue to encourage you to contact me regarding your thoughts on legislation being considered by the General Assembly. The process works best when all participants are informed and engaged.

Cheers,
Pricey

Public Saftey 7-20-07

2007-07-20T17:27:00.000-04:00

A bill headed to the governor would require motorcycle and moped riders to wear helmets that meet federal safety standards. The existing law requires only that the state Division of Motor Vehicles commissioner approve the helmets. The federal standard is stricter. The proposal, House Bill 563, also includes a provision that would allow local governments to regulate protests along state roads. The Senate approved the bill this week and House concurred with the new version.

Health 7-20-07

2007-07-20T17:25:00.000-04:00

People who smoke in nursing homes or adult-care centers would be subject to a $200 fine under a House bill that's now moving through the Senate. The bill was introduced in April, just after a cigarette ignited a fire at an adult care home in Davie County, killing one person and injuring 21 others. Residents of such homes are already banned from smoking in their rooms, but can smoke in indoor lounges. The bill, House Bill 1294, returns to the House, where members will decide whether to accept a Senate change that would exempt state psychiatric hospitals from the smoking ban.

Courts

2007-07-20T17:23:00.000-04:00

A bill that would reform the way medical malpractice cases are handled in North Carolina passed the General Assembly this week and is ready for the governor's signature. House Bill 1671 would require parties to discuss arbitration as a possible way to resolve malpractice cases. If all parties agree, a strict timetable for the arbitration, along with other guidelines for the negotiations, go into place. The guidelines are intended to help get the cases resolved quicker than a trial and a cap of $1 million on all damages --economic and non-economic -- would apply. The bill is the latest example of how state lawmakers are trying to speed up the handling of malpractice cases and limit the costs associated with lengthy trials and legal procedures that increase the costs. The bill represents a compromise crafted with the help of the NC Medical Society and the Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Conservation

2007-07-20T17:20:00.000-04:00

About half of the state will be densely populated by 2030, according to a new report from the Conservation Trust for North Carolina. The report analyzed housing density statistics as far back as 1940 and says farms, forests, and other open spaces have become "islands in a sea of suburban development." CTNC and others have been pushing for a $1 billion bond referendum for conservation, at least $6 million for farmland preservation, and expanded tax incentives for land preservation. Land conservation is a priority of mine and I have sponsored most of those measures: House Bill 990, Land and Water Conservation Bond of 2007, House Bill 1889, Present-Use Value System Modifications, House Bill 332, Funds for Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, and House Bill 2002, Clarifying Property Tax for Conservation Land.

Energy 7-20-07

2007-07-20T17:14:00.000-04:00

The House Energy and Energy Efficiency Committee, which I chair, continued consideration of Senate Bill 3, the renewable energy and efficiency portfolio standard (REPS)/baseload bill. Representatives Grier Martin, Jim Harrell, Carolyn Justice, and I had sponsored the House companion to the REPS part of the bill, House Bill 77. As I have mentioned in previous newsletters, this well intentioned bill, originally proposed to move us toward a more sustainable energy future, has been loaded up with sweeteners for the utilities. We have had several hours of hearings and discussion on the bill and hope to make some well needed changes to the bill before it is voted out of the Energy Committee this Monday. It then must go to the Committees on Public Utilities and Finance. Public opposition to the bill is heating up, with consumer advocates and most environmentalists opposed to the bill and most of the business community in favor of it. The Governor's office has also expressed concerns with the bill.

The Charlotte Observer and News and Observer have written excellent editorials on the bill, with links posted below.

Editorial: Fix it or Hold it
http://www.charlotte.com/171/story/202831.html

Editorial: Power Plays
http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/editorials/story/643210.html

Enviornment 7-20-07

2007-07-20T17:08:00.000-04:00

Existing hog lagoons would be phased out and new ones would be difficult to build under legislation approved this week by the House Agriculture Committee. These open pits - which store hog waste that is later sprayed on fields - are smelly health hazards that have made living conditions deplorable for neighbors of the farms. The state has had a moratorium on new lagoons for the past 10 years, but replacing them with new, cleaner technology is expensive. Senate Bill 1465 (I cosponsored the House companion, House Bill 1254, sponsored by Carolyn Justice), proposes a $2 million a year cost-sharing program to help farmers pay the cost of replacing the pits with more environmentally friendly systems. It also would create a pilot program to use methane from the lagoons to generate electricity. The bill is supported by farm, industry, and some environmental groups and would represent a major step forward after years of trying to find better ways to handle hog waste. The deal will protect farmers' investments and livelihoods while also starting to clean up the state's waters and soil. North Carolina is the nation's second-largest hog farming state with 10 million animals and $6.7 billion in yearly sales. The Environmental Justice Network and several of the Riverkeeper organizations feel the bill does not go far enough and want a permanent ban and phaseout of existing lagoons. Rep. Earl Jones and I sponsored such legislation, House Bill 1822, but it never had any traction given the opposition of the industry.

Greetings From Raleigh 07-20-07

2007-07-20T17:07:00.000-04:00

A final budget and the end of this year's legislative session are in sight. The House and the Senate have nearly completed negotiations on a final spending plan and committee chairs have been asked to finish their work by July 28. General Assembly leaders are continuing discussions on a strategy for the state to assume the Medicaid costs paid by the counties and members of both chambers are considering a number of ways to do this. Some of the plans would allow the counties to levy either a quarter-cent sales tax or a .4 percent land transfer tax, but only with voter approval. Those plans would make sure that counties have the money they need to pay for schools and other infrastructure needs and could result in lower property taxes.

In other business this week, we made some important progress on bills to reform our medical malpractice laws and to improve our criminal justice system. We also moved closer to protecting residents of long-term care facilities from the fire hazards associated with smoking, and to continuing to guard our environment against the problems associated with hog lagoons.

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.

2007-07-13T23:02:00.000-04:00

The House ratified a bill this week that will allow voters to register and vote on the same day. House Bill 91 requires potential voters to bring proper identification and a completed voter registration form. Under the current law voter registration ends 25 days before an election.

Please continue to contact me with your thoughts and concerns regarding the business of the Legislature. Together we can affect positive changes for all the citizens of Greensboro and Guilford County.

Cheers,

Pricey

Family

2007-07-13T23:01:00.000-04:00

Adult adoptees may have a better chance of contacting their birth parents because of a bill now headed to the Senate floor. The bill, House Bill 445, received a favorable report this week from a Senate judiciary committee. It would allow intermediaries such as licensed adoption agency staff, a child placing agency, or county department of social services to arrange contact and/or the exchange of family health information. The bill also allows the sharing of identifying information if both parties consent.

Public Saftey 7-13-07

2007-07-13T22:58:00.000-04:00

A bill to require photo developers to report the discovery of child pornography found while they were working is headed to Gov. Mike Easley for his signature. The House voted unanimously Wednesday to concur with changes made in the Senate. House Bill 27 also requires computer technicians who find apparent images of minors engaging in sexual activity to report the name of the person who possesses the computer.

The Senate passed a House bill this week that would ban school bus drivers from talking on cell phones while driving, a bill which I co-sponsored, House Bill 183. This common sense safety legislation passed the Senate unanimously. School bus drivers would face a misdemeanor and minimum $100 fine if convicted. The bill will now go to the governor to be signed into law.

Cigarettes that burn out safely when left unattended would be required in North Carolina under a bill approved by the House this week. Similar legislation has been approved in more than a dozen states and Canada, according to the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes. The group says cigarettes cause up to 900 deaths a year. The bill, House Bill 1785, now goes to the Senate.

Ethics 7-13-07

2007-07-13T22:57:00.000-04:00

The full House is prepared to consider a bill that would require candidates for elected office to disclose any felony convictions they may have. The committee on Election Law and Campaign Finance Reform, of which I am a member, amended the bill, Senate Bill 1218, to clarify that felony convictions do not permanently disqualify a person from running for public office. The Senate approved the bill in May.

Energy 7-13-07

2007-07-13T22:56:00.000-04:00

The House Energy and Energy Efficiency Committee, which I chair, has begun consideration of Senate Bill 3, which started out as a renewable energy bill but has become a giveaway to utilities. Senate Bill 3 is the result of months of negotiations of many interested parties, although consumers and ratepayers were vastly underrepresented. The House was not part of that process, and it is our hope that we will give the bill thoughtful and thorough consideration before it moves. Senate Bill 3 is a major overhaul of energy policy in this state and it deserves more than the 30 minutes of committee consideration it received in the Senate.

Hogs

2007-07-13T22:53:00.000-04:00

A new report from the environmental group Environmental Defense predicts that new technologies to manage hog waste could generate 7,000 jobs and $10 billion over a 20-year period. The report says that hog farmers should replace lagoon systems with cleaner systems that create marketable byproducts such as compost. Rep. Earl Jones and I have introduced legislation , House Bill 1822, that would require a permanent phase out of old hog lagoons that don't adopt the new technologies, but resistance from the hog industry has prevented that bill being heard. In addition, Rep. Carolyn Justice has sponsored legislation, House Bill 1933, which I cosponsored, which would require that hog lagoons adopt the new technologies, and bans new lagoons that don't. That bill is pending in the House Agriculture Committee, where it has been held up until the hog industry's objections can be dealt with. And why can't we just pass good legislation over the objections of the hog industry? Not until we get true campaign finance reform in North Carolina.

Health 7-13-07

2007-07-13T22:45:00.000-04:00

North Carolina is on the brink of taking a major step to improve care for people with mental illnesses. On Thursday, the House concurred with changes made by a Senate committee to a bill, House Bill 973, that requires that insurance companies cover bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia and three other mental illnesses the same way that they treat physical illnesses. All other metal health conditions will be covered for up to 30 inpatient/outpatient days and 30 office visits. Mental health parity has been debated in the North Carolina Legislature for 15 years and if Gov. Mike Easley signs this bill, the state will join 36 others that already offer some form of mental health parity.

Education 7-13-07

2007-07-13T22:44:00.000-04:00

A change in the way lottery money is distributed could mean more money for school construction in more than half the state's counties, but Guilford would be subject to a $2.7 million loss as would other urban counties. Under existing law, 40 percent of the net lottery profits are set aside to help build schools. The formula awards a disproportionate amount to counties with property tax rates higher than the state average. The bill, House Bill 9, would change the formula so that 65 percent of the allocation was based on the number of students in each district. Half of the remaining 35 percent will go to districts where the student population has grown in the past five years and the other half will go to districts in poor counties. The bill now goes to the Senate.

Greetings From Raleigh 07-13-07

2007-07-13T21:31:00.000-04:00

Budget negotiators from both houses continue to make progress on the state's spending plan for this fiscal year, having agreed on pay increases of 5 percent for educators and 4 percent for other state employees. This week, the Senate also moved closer to accepting the House version of a plan to free up money in the counties for school construction and other needs. The plan would relieve counties of their Medicaid costs - more than an estimated $500 million this year -- within a few years. The plan would also give many of the state's poorest workers an earned income tax credit that would lessen some of their tax costs. The plan now returns to the House, where my colleagues and I will continue to push for greater tax relief and more money for education.

In other business, the House approved legislation this week that would better protect our children from sexual predators and keep them safer on their school buses. The House also signed off on landmark legislation to make mental health care more affordable for thousands of people in North Carolina. It's an important step forward for health care in this state and one many representatives have supported for years. We also began consideration of sweeping energy legislation.

Notes 6-29-07

2007-06-29T23:13:00.000-04:00

The Senate and the House honored members of the North Carolina Guard for their services and sacrifices at home and in wars overseas. The resolution, House Bill 1720, honored the 11 National Guard members who died in the line of duty and six who were killed in action since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Nearly 11,000 members of the guard have been deployed overseas since that time and 135 have been wounded in action. Members and leaders of the North Carolina National Guard, dressed in their green, gray, and tan uniforms, listened from the galleries as the names of their slain or wounded comrades were read aloud.

Infant mortality rates in North Carolina have remained steady since 2000, but remain relatively high compared to the national rates. Public health officials said this week that while the state has made much progress in women’s access to prenatal care and care for premature babies, chronic issues such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes may be the cause of the high infant mortality rate.

Please continue to express to me your concerns and support for the legislation that is being considered in the General Assembly. By working together we can improve the quality of life for citizens in Greensboro, Guilford County and the entire state.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July, there will be no newsletter next week due to the holiday.

Cheers,
Pricey

Elections

2007-06-29T23:11:00.000-04:00

The House sent the Senate version of the one-stop voting sites bill, House Bill 91, to a conference committee this week. The bill would allow residents to register and vote right away at one-stop voting sites during the last two and a half weeks before an election. Presently voters can vote early at one-stop voting sites, but registration ends 25 days before an election.

Public Saftey 6-29-07

2007-06-29T23:10:00.001-04:00

A bill that would require stricter oversight of hazardous waste storage sites was signed into law this week. The bill, House Bill 36, protects residents by requiring hazardous waste sites to take financial responsibility and conduct preventative screenings for environmental contamination when hazardous materials are released. The bill was filed in response to an explosion and fire at a hazardous waste storage facility in Apex late last year that resulted in the evacuation of thousands of people. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said this week that mislabeled oxygen generators in the plant probably fueled the fire.

Property Rights

2007-06-29T23:10:00.000-04:00

The House concurred this week with minor changes the Senate made to a bill that defines and punishes residential mortgage fraud in North Carolina. House Bill 817 makes it a felony to knowingly misrepresent or exclude information in the mortgage lending process even if the victim is not harmed financially. Offenders can be sentenced to up to 16 months if they have no prior record and up to 31 months if they are linked to at least five cases of fraud with no prior record. Mortgage fraud is illegal under existing laws, but it was covered by general fraud law. That law required stolen property to be valued at a minimum of $100,000 before the offender would face substantial punishment. The changes make it easier to protect people who were cheated out of lesser amounts.

Health 6-29-07

2007-06-29T23:07:00.000-04:00

The House concurred Thursday with changes made in the Senate to a bill, House Bill 24, that would bar smoking in all buildings owned, leased or occupied by state government. The bill now goes to the governor for his signature. The House also approved Senate Bill 1086 that would ban the use of tobacco products on school campuses at all times. If the Senate concurs with changes made in the House, that bill will also go to the governor.

A bill that would provide insurance parity to people who receive mental health services cleared the Senate Health Committee this week. The bill, House Bill 973, would provide require private health insurers to pay for mental health services on the same level as what the pay for physical health services. The bill is expected to save the state money spent by reducing the amount of money spent for public mental health services.

Ethics 6-29-07

2007-06-29T23:02:00.001-04:00

Officials convicted of felony misconduct must forfeit their pensions under a bill sent this week to Gov. Mike Easley. The Senate accepted minor changes from the House on the bill, Senate Bill 659. The bill requires officials convicted of a federal or state offense involving corruption or a felony violation of election laws committed in their official capacity to lose their retirement benefits earned in that office.

Energy

2007-06-29T23:02:00.000-04:00

The Senate has approved Senate Bill 3 , Renewable Energy/Baseload Provisions on second reading. This bill started out similar to House Bill 77, Promote Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, sponsored by Representatives Martin, Harrell, Justice, and myself. After months of negotiations, the Senate bill was loaded up with provisions to get buy-in from a variety of interest groups, from Wal-mart to homebuilders to chemical companies, and especially the utilities. As a result, there are many troubling provisions in the bill, which we hope to fix in the House. The most troubling relate to financing new nuclear and coal fired power plants, which shifts the risk from the investors to the rate payers. This fight was fought in the early 1980s, and the consumers prevailed, but not this time around. The House will give this bill the scrutiny it deserves. It is important that we pass a renewable energy bill, but not necessarily with provisions making it easier to build new coal and nuclear plants.

Greetings From Raleigh 06-29-07

2007-06-29T22:58:00.000-04:00

As the end of the fiscal year approaches, House members worked diligently this past week to get a permanent spending plan in place for the next two years. We came close, but in the end agreed that we need at least another month to continue negotiations. Negotiations are particularly complex this year because leaders in both chambers want to develop a plan that takes back a significant share of the Medicaid expenses from the counties. Our initial budget proposal in the House recommended giving the counties $100 million based on their Medicaid costs, freeing up money for school construction and other critical local needs.

We are also looking at a plan that over several years would totally take over all of the counties’ Medicaid costs in exchange for some revenues, such as a portion of the sales tax that counties receive. The total county cost of Medicaid is expected to reach $733 million in the next five years and shifting the cost to the state will allow better local financial planning. Negotiations on this plan will continue next week.

Members of the House continued work to strengthen an ethics policy in the state, protect your health and the health of our state workers, and to guard against disasters such as the explosion and fire last year at the hazardous waste plant in Apex.

Members of the North Carolina National Guard were honored in the Chamber for all of the service they have given our nation abroad.

Environment

2007-06-22T23:35:00.000-04:00

The House unanimously approved minor changes made in the Senate to a bill that would require hazardous waste storage companies to tell their neighbors and emergency response officials more about the materials they store. House Bill 36 would also subject such companies to more inspections. The legislation follows an explosion and fire at EQ Industrial Services in Apex on October 9, 2007, that resulted in the evacuation of an estimated 17,000 people. Emergency responders had little information about what the company had stored at the site, limiting their ability to extinguish the blaze. North Carolina has 10 remaining commercial hazardous waste storage warehouses that receive chemicals and other materials from manufacturers and laboratories. The waste is consolidated and then shipped to incinerators, landfills, and recyclers in other states.

Thank you for your continued interest in the activity at the General Assembly. Please keep me informed of your concerns so that together, we can improve the lives of the citizens of Greensboro and Guilford County as well as all North Carolinians.

Cheers,
Pricey

Public Saftey 6-22-07

2007-06-22T23:33:00.000-04:00

The General Assembly approved a pair of bills this week to protect cemeteries. One bill, House Bill 105, would make vandalism of a grave marker or any other cemetery monument a felony instead of a misdemeanor and desecration of human remains would become a higher grade felony. Under existing law, vandalism that results in damage of less than $1,000 is a misdemeanor. The other bill, House Bill 107, better defines abandoned and public cemeteries and attempts to make it easier for groups to set up trusts to pay for the cemeteries' upkeep. The bills have been sent to Gov. Mike Easley for his approval.

Convicted drunken drivers would be allowed to wear alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelets instead of serving jail time under Senate Bill 1290 approved in the House this week. The bracelets would cost $12 a day, some of which would be paid by the convicted drivers. Some representatives questioned whether it was fair to adopt use of the devices, since some people could not afford their use. Supporters argued that counties may be willing to bear the cost since the bracelets would keep drunken drivers off the road and be less expensive than jail.

Voting 6-22-07

2007-06-22T23:28:00.000-04:00

A House bill that cleared the Senate this week is expected to increase voter turnout by allowing people to register and vote on the same day in the final 2½ weeks before an election. Existing law cuts off voter registration 25 days before an election. The bill, House Bill 91, now returns to the House for concurrence on changes made in the Senate, which include a requirement that all ballots be printed in English.

As the cost of statewide campaigns balloons, a House committee has approved a bill that would provide public financing for three Council of State jobs. The bill was endorsed by Insurance Commissioner Jim Long and state schools Superintendent June Atkinson. Their races and that of State Auditor Les Merritt would be eligible for public money if the bill becomes law. Candidates would have to receive at least 750 contributions of $10 to $200 to be eligible for public financing. The bill, House Bill 1517, now goes to the Appropriations Committee.

Health 6-22-07

2007-06-22T23:25:00.000-04:00

Two bills to restrict smoking moved through the General Assembly this week, with one being sent to Gov. Mike Easley and the other to the Senate floor. One measure, Senate Bill 862, would allow smoking to be banned inside and within 100 feet of any building in the University of North Carolina system. The UNC Health Care system and the medical buildings of East Carolina University would have discretion over the policies of their buildings and grounds. The Senate concurred this week with changes made in the House and the bill now goes to the governor for his signature. The second bill would prohibit smoking in any state government buildings and allow local governments to do the same on their property. A Senate committee gave its approval to House Bill 24 that would bar smoking in all buildings owned, leased, or occupied by state government. The House approved the bill earlier this session and it now goes to the Senate floor.

Energy 6-22-07

2007-06-22T23:19:00.000-04:00

The Senate has begun consideration of its renewable energy bill, Senate Bill 3. As many as 100 stakeholders have been negotiating differences over the bill during the past 5 months. Senate Bill 3 would adopt a 12.5% renewable energy and energy efficiency portfolio standard, and has set asides for the conversion of swine and poultry waste, both of which would negatively impact air quality. The bill also makes it easier to build new nuclear and coal fired power plants (regardless of the merits, they have no connection to renewable energy). House Bill 77, which I introduced with Representatives Grier Martin, Jim Harrell, and Carolyn Justice, proposes a 15% REPS and contains none of these troubling provisions. Senate Bill 3 will be considered by Senate Agriculture and Environment, before heading to Finance and the Senate floor, then to the House where it will receive careful scrutiny and consideration.

Education 6-22-07

2007-06-22T23:18:00.000-04:00

The Senate has approved a House bill that would move the cutoff date for children to enroll in kindergarten. Under the proposal, children would have to turn 5 by August 31 to be eligible to enroll in kindergarten. The current cutoff date is October 16. House Bill 150 is expected to help ensure that all children start school with the skills they need. The bill must still be signed by the governor before it becomes law. It would take effect in the 2009-10 school year.

Ethics 06-22-07

2007-06-22T23:16:00.000-04:00

The governor could immediately remove a disbarred judge or district attorney under a bill that received final approval this week in the General Assembly. The bill, Senate Bill 118, will also allow for the suspension of the disbarred lawyer's pay. It would be reinstated if the disbarment was reversed. Existing state law requires judges and DA's to be members of the bar in good standing, but doesn't provide for their removal. The bill came after a district court judge who lost his law license refused to leave his job, even though he was suspended from acting as a judge.

The House approved Senate Bill 659 Thursday that would take away the pensions of state or local elected officials convicted of public corruption or election fraud. It now returns to the Senate for concurrence.

Greetings From Raleigh 06-22-07

2007-06-22T23:15:00.000-04:00

The House and the Senate moved nearer to a final budget deal this week, with members of both chambers agreeing to take over the full cost of the non-federal share of Medicaid. The takeover is intended to relieve counties from the rapid growth in costs and free up more local money for school construction and other costs. The counties' share of Medicaid is more than half a billion dollars this year and expected to continue to grow. Negotiators continue to differ over the best way to phase in the plan.

We also took steps this week to continue to tighten the state's ethics laws and improve education by moving the cutoff date for children to enter kindergarten. We made state and university buildings safer for visitors and workers by allowing smoking bans and approved a stricter law for monitoring hazardous waste storage facilities following an explosion at one such company in Apex.

Also, if you seek more information regarding any bill mentioned in the Newsletter, or another one of interest, you may access the General Assembly's home page and enter the bill number, i.e., H77.

Notes 6-15-07

2007-06-15T18:09:00.000-04:00

Sandy Basnight, the wife of Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight, passed away Sunday after an extended illness. I attended her funeral in Wanchese on Wednesday, along with most of the Senate and a good amount of House members, as well as most of our Council of State. The Senate canceled its session for the day while the House convened in the evening to allow its members time to attend.

The House honored Asheville native Wilma Dykeman yesterday. The noted author and environmentalist died last December. She received numerous awards for her work and has been credited with bringing attention to environmental issues years before Rachel Carson's Silent Spring was published.

The Charlotte Observer requested that I write an Op-Ed on energy issues in North Carolina. Here is the link. I am told that the paper plans to publish a collection of the ten or so pieces they requested in a tabloid-style format.

Please continue to express your opinions and concerns to me. I value the participation of my constituents in the legislative process.

Cheers,
Pricey

Education 6-15-07

2007-06-15T18:07:00.002-04:00

The group leading the House initiative to improve the state's high school graduation rate recently held its third public hearing, this time at Parkland High School in Winston-Salem. The audience for the hearing included several members of the House of Representatives, school administrators, teachers, parents, students, local leaders, and concerned citizens. Forsyth County school superintendent Don Martin also came to share information about dropout trends in his school system. The group may hold additional hearings before presenting its recommendations. The budget proposed by the House included $7 million to help the state better address this serious issue.

Property Rights

2007-06-15T18:07:00.001-04:00

A House committee took up the emotional issue of annexation this week, holding a public hearing that drew more than 200 people. The committee is considering a study on whether the state's annexation laws should be amended. North Carolina is one of a handful of states that allow forced annexation. Supporters of the law say it allows for orderly growth and for economic stability in cities and towns. Opponents argue the law unfairly forces them to become a part of municipalities.

Environment

2007-06-15T18:01:00.000-04:00

The Senate environment committee approved a House bill that would require closer monitoring of businesses that store hazardous waste. The proposal includes many of the suggestions made after an explosion at a hazardous waste storage company in Apex that resulted in the evacuation of thousands of people. Under the bill, such companies would have to provide information to emergency workers about the types of chemicals they store and the state would have to consider increasing budgets for the state medical assistance teams that respond to hazardous waste incidents. House Bill 36 now goes to the full Senate.

Another Senate committee approved a bill, Senate Bill 150, that would dramatically increase the permitted cutting of vegetation around billboards from 250 to 375 feet. The bill does contain increased penalties for illegal cutting as well. The Department of Transportation had previously considered this request (originally proposing 500 feet of clearance) and turned it down after careful study, so the industry went to the legislature for the authorization. The DOT, Department of Environment, Sierra Club, and others, spoke out against the bill, which was approved on a voice vote. It now goes to Senate Finance.

On the renewable energy front, stakeholders continued to meet to work out differences over the proposed renewable energy portfolio standards, Senate Bill 3, House Bill 77. The Utilities have been quite insistent on the inclusion of provisions making it easier to build new nuclear and coal fired power plants. Duke's CEO has been quite clear in stating that Duke can't build new nuclear plants without these provisions. So it seems our renewable energy bill is also going to make it easier to finance and build new nuclear plants. We should have a bill in the next couple of weeks (although I have very little enthusiasm for running a renewable energy bill will nuclear power in it.)

Health 6-15-07

2007-06-15T17:59:00.000-04:00

Smoking could be banned within 100 feet from University of North Carolina buildings under a measure approved by the House this week. The bill, Senate Bill 862, allows exemptions for the UNC Health Care System and medical buildings at East Carolina University. Administrators there would set their own smoking policies. University leaders asked for the bill so they can help protect the health of their students. The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Easley for his signature.

Public Saftey 6-15-07

2007-06-15T17:57:00.000-04:00

Governor Easley is closer to getting authority to remove disbarred district attorneys and judges. Existing law doesn't require them to leave office or allow for their removal. The bill, Senate Bill 118, has already been approved in the Senate. It was prompted by the case of a disbarred district court judge who refused to leave the bench. The state paid him $25,000 in salary before he eventually resigned.

A House Judiciary Committee considering legislation to address gang violence and prevention held a hearing on the issue this week. The House is considering several solutions to reduce gang-related crimes in our state and make our schools and communities safer.

Budget 6-15-07

2007-06-15T17:55:00.000-04:00

Budget negotiations between the House and Senate continue, and several large issues remain unresolved. The biggest sticking points between the two chambers appear to be resolving the Medicaid relief issue for the counties and the proposed expiration of the temporary taxes.

The NC Justice Center's Budget and Tax Center released a report (pdf) this week that analyzes and compares the two competing plans and how they fare in terms of working families and fiscal responsibility. The report concludes: "The Senate Budget is all around less responsible than the House or Governor's versions. It provides less funding for programs that would benefit working families across the state. It is less fiscally responsible by relying on one-time money to pay for ongoing expenses, allowing the two temporary tax provisions to expire, and using less of the onetime to build the Rainy Day Fund, finance capital improvement projects, and payback the state pension system. It drives up the state's responsibility for paying off debt by issuing $1.2 billion in certificates of participation to primarily finance university projects."

Funding prospects on key environmental programs are looking better. The Natural and Economic Resources Conference Subcommittee on which I sit approved a budget that recommends funding at the House level ($615,000) for emergency drinking water supplies, notification, and testing for low income communities. Farmland preservation is back in at slightly less than $1 million (Governor had proposed $5 million, House- $8 million, Senate-$0). We hope to resolve this at a level closer to the House proposal. The House and Governor are committed to maintaining the State Energy Office (Senate budget had proposed eliminating the office).

Budget chairs are meeting quite frequently with the hope of resolving any outstanding issues in time to have a budget in place by July 1, 2007.

Greetings From Raleigh 6-15-06

2007-06-15T17:54:00.000-04:00

Budget negotiations continued this week with the House and Senate working to find common ground. The goal remains to have a final budget ready for Gov. Easley's signature before the end of this fiscal year on June 30, 2007.

Notes 6-08-07

2007-06-08T17:23:00.000-04:00

Several Legislators were honored on May 23rd at the Conservation Council of North Carolina's Green Tie awards dinner. I received the Representative of the Year award and Janet Cowell was named Senator of the Year. Rep. Carolyn Justice was named Defender of the Environment and Speaker Joe Hackney received a Life Time Achievement award from the organization.

Thank you for continuing to share your concerns and comments regarding legislation now being debated in Raleigh. This is democracy at work and all of our citizens benefit from the process.

Cheers,

Pricey

Internet Access

2007-06-08T17:21:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday, the Public Utilities Committee approved House Bill 1587, which would seriously hinder cities from providing wired and wireless communication services (such as cable, broadband, telephone, internet) by imposing onerous restrictions. This follows closely on the heels of the industry-sponsored video franchise legislation enacted last year that took away authority from municipalities and eliminated build out requirements. I offered an amendment in committee to exempt areas that the industry was not serving from these requirements, but it failed. Three members of the committee voted 'No' on the bill which is opposed by City of Greensboro staff and officials, other North Carolina cities, Dell, and other equipment providers, etc. The bill is now before the House Finance Committee.

Health 6-08-07

2007-06-08T17:17:00.000-04:00

The House Aging Committee approved legislation that would lead to a rating system for adult-care homes. The ratings would be based on inspections, complaint investigations and penalties imposed by state regulators. The bill, House Bill 248, now goes to the House Appropriations Committee. The sponsors hope it will eventually create a star-rating system similar to the one used for day care centers, which awards the centers one to five stars, with five being the highest. The long term care industry is fighting this proposal.

Elections

2007-06-08T17:16:00.000-04:00

A measure that would allow people to register and immediately vote at one-stop sites up to three days before an election is making its way through the Senate. Supporters say the bill, House Bill 91, would encourage more people to vote. Existing law requires registration 25 days before an election. State elections officials say the program could be easily implemented and would be more secure because voters would register in person rather than by mail or on line. The measure now goes to the full Senate.

Energy 6-08-07

2007-06-08T17:14:00.000-04:00

The House Committee on Energy and Energy Efficiency, which I chair, held a hearing on House Bill 77 which is sponsored by Representatives Martin, Harrell, Justice, and me.

The bill would require that at least 7.5% of our energy needs in North Carolina come from renewable energy sources and another 7.5% from increased energy efficiencies by the year 2021. Twenty-four other states have adopted such requirements, but none in the Southeast. We must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, especially given the irrefutable evidence that our carbon emissions are harming the planet. If we do adopt the new energy standard, we will reduce emissions by 13 million tons at a time when our carbon emissions are growing at the fourth fastest rate in the country. A renewable energy standard will also create more than 20,000 good clean energy production jobs, especially in wind and solar production, in the state. The Utilities are pushing for provisions in the bill which would make it easier to build new nuclear power and coal-fire power plants. This is part of a Senate negotiated package that may come to the House for a vote. In the meantime, the House is pushing for a "clean" clean energy bill.

Enviornment 6-08-07

2007-06-08T17:13:00.000-04:00

State agencies could no longer use oyster shells in landscaping or highway beautification projects if the Senate agrees to changes in a bill, Senate Bill 1453, approved in the House this week. State agencies are trying to increase awareness of oyster shell recovery efforts. The state has already banned shells from landfills and is working to establish oyster hatcheries at the state's aquariums. North Carolina oyster stocks have dropped about 90 percent since 1900, and old shells provide the best habitat for young oysters.