Conference budget passes July 1 The major objective of the even-year short session is to adjust the biennial budget passed the previous year in the long session. This year’s budget adjustment was on the positive side, with money added for salaries, education, infrastructure and health services. While not perfect the budget that passed the House […]
Two special sessions called A ruling by the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina that two of North Carolina’s 13 Congressional districts were racially gerrymandered required the legislature to come back into session February 16-19 to approve a new Congressional district map. Although only two districts were challenged, the House Redistricting […]
General Assembly adjourns, at last The House adjourned in the wee hours of September 30. I received the most constituent emails about these four bills taken up during the few weeks between the budget vote and adjournment: Economic incentives/sales taxes HB 117, NC Competes Act, had seven parts. Two were specific to economic incentives; the […]
Eleven weeks after the start of the fiscal year, during which time select House and Senate budget writers worked behind closed doors to negotiate huge differences between the House and Senate budgets, the House passed the conference budget after midnight on Friday, September 18 on a 81-33 vote. Homework begins Over the three legislative days […]
I am one of 24 legislators to win the 2015 Sunshine Award from Democracy North Carolina, in recognition of filing complete, accurate and timely campaign finance reports. In the announcing the award recipients, Bob Hall, Democracy North Carolina’s Executive Director, said, “…we commend legislators across the ideological spectrum who respect the public’s right to know […]
After the House budget passed at the end of May, House committees kicked back into high gear and House sessions got very interesting—again. Here’s a sample of what we discussed and voted on in June. SB2, Magistrates Recusal for Civil Ceremonies. Believe it or not this was just one bill that resulted in heated debate […]
April showers bring May flowers…and budget negotiations Each odd year, in the long session of the legislative biennium, the Governor releases his/her budget to the legislature—kicking off the budget making process. The House and Senate alternate crafting their own budget versions and 2015 was the House’s turn to go first. After months of informational committee meetings […]
Water, water everywhere…but not a drop to drink? Our state’s drinking water is a precious and life-sustaining resource. That’s why I voted against HB 630, Alternate Water Quality Protection for Falls Lake, that seeks to study the use of Solar Bees in that drinking water source. 2013 legislation added these devices to Jordan Lake and the Jordan […]
Medicaid expansion will create jobs and save lives I was proud to introduce legislation this week that will clear the way for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina. Expanding Medicaid will help 500,000 North Carolinians receive health insurance and create over 50,000 good-paying, permanent jobs. The refusal to expand Medicaid sends billions of of tax dollars […]
