North Carolina Legislative Report - July 24, 2015
July 24, 2015
The General Assembly convened for the 2015 legislative session on January 14. Lawmakers returned to Raleigh on January 28 to begin the session in earnest. The MVA Public Affairs Legislative Report on North Carolina will be distributed on a weekly basis to keep you up to date on the latest legislative issues facing the state.
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On The Floor
For legislative action lookup by day, click below:
Committees
House Appropriations Committee
The Committee met on Wednesday, July 22, to address H 338, Fail to Obtain DL/Increase Punishment. H 338 increases the punishment for certain offenses of failing to obtain a drivers license before driving a motor vehicle. H 338 received a favorable report in Committee and placed on the House calendar for July 28. The Committee also received an update from Barry Boardman, Fiscal Research Division, on general fund revenue and cumulative revenue changes.
House Environment Committee
The Committee met Wednesday, July 22, to hear from more than 30 members of the public regarding regulatory and environmental issues. The Committee voted to reject Senate changes to H 765, Regulatory Reform Act of 2015.
Senate Finance Committee
The Committee met on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. On Tuesday, July 21, the Committee approved a number of bills. H 229, Church Tax Exemption/Driving Privilege, would a) exempt religious buildings that are under construction from local property tax, and b) authorize a judge to allow a person with a revoked driver's license to drive to attend religious worship under a limited driving privilege. H 492, Rutherford Cty/Rutherford Airport Authority, would authorize the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners to dissolve the Rutherford Airport Authority. H 556, Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, would authorize the establishment of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Trust Fund, administered by the ABLE Board of Trustees, to assist and encourage the contribution of private funds to accounts from which specified expenses may be paid for individuals with disabilities. S 399, Joint Agency Tax Refund, would allow a joint agency created by interlocal agreement for the purposes of fire protection, police protection, and emergency services to receive a refund of sales and use taxes paid by it. S 438, Permanent Plates/Charter Schools, would repeal the sunset on the law authorizing the DMV to issue permanent registration plates to charter schools. S 541, Regulate Transportation Network Companies, would regulate transportation network companies (TNC) by requiring a State permit to operate, maintenance of liability insurance for cars, and background checks for drivers. The bill would add TNC services to the list of activities where paid transportation is allowed without a for-hire license plate. The bill would impose a $5,000 application fee for the permit and a $5,000 renewal fee. S 605, Various Changes to the Revenue Laws, would, as the title suggests, make numerous technical, clarifying, and substantive changes to the State’s revenue laws, including the elimination of some income tax deductions. H 386, Hope Mills/Spring Lake/Satellite Annexations, and H 412, Dunn Annexation/Holly Ridge Annexation, are local bills affecting annexations in the applicable municipalities.
On Wednesday, July 22, the Committee approved four bills. H 168, Exempt Builders’ Inventory, would exempt the increased value of certain improvements to real property held for sale by a builder. H 343, Clayton/Wallace ETJ Areas, would authorize the Town of Clayton to extend its ETJ to include six described parcels of property and would add a provision defining the ETJ area of the Town of Wallace. H 538, Water and Sewer Service Related Changes, would a) specifically authorize water and sewer authorities to adopt ordinances concerning the regulation and control of water systems owned by the Authority, to enter into reimbursement agreements with developers or property owners for design and construction of infrastructure, and to offer and pay rewards up to $5,000 for information leading to conviction of persons who willfully deface, damage, or destroy, or commit acts of vandalism or larceny of, authority property; b) authorize a county or city to pledge a security interest in an escrow account to secure repayment of certain economic development loans; and c) allow the Local Government Commission to authorize loans of up to 30 year terms for certain water projects. S 671, DL Restoration/DWI Treatment Court, would allow the DMV to conditionally restore a drivers license revoked for a conviction of Driving While Impaired (DWI) after at least a one-year revocation period if the person has graduated from a Drug Treatment or a DWI Treatment Court Program.
Senate Health Care Committee
The Committee met Tuesday, July 21, and approved the five bills on the agenda. H 13, Amend School Health Assessment Requirement, would do as the title suggests and changes the requirements for school health assessments. H 20, Reegen’s Rule/Childhood Diabetes Education, would direct care providers to talk about diabetes and other symptoms with parents to prevent undiagnosed diabetes in children. H 308, Clarify Reasonable Health Insur./Child Supp, would amend laws pertaining to medical support and health insurance coverage relating to child support to align state law and federal guidelines and would modify the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program to conform with federal requirements. H 724, Amend Composition of NC Medical Board, would revise the membership of the North Carolina Medical Board to provide that at least one physician assistant and at least one nurse practitioner must serve as members of the Board. H 809, Third-Party Premium Payments, would require that health benefit plans accept a premium payment made by the following third parties: The Ryan White HIV/AIDS program, Native American tribes or tribal organizations, State or federal government programs, and the American Kidney Fund.
Senate Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources Committee
The Committee met Wednesday, July 22, and approved all bills on the agenda. H 553, Ordinances Regulating Animals, would restrict local government from creating ordinances that regulate livestock. H 571, Implementation of Carbon Dioxide Regulations, would prohibit state agencies from adopting rules or regulations until EPA clean power plan is passed on July 1, 2016. H 638, Capitalize on Wetland Mitigation, allows DENR and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to coordinate their efforts during required mitigation.
Senate Education/Higher Education Committee
The Committee met on Thursday, July 23, to take up H 13, Amend School Health Assessment Requirement. H 13 requires each child entering public school for the first time to submit proof of a health assessment; provides that absences due to failure to submit the form are not suspensions and allows students to make up the missed work; specifies the information that can be included on the health assessment transmittal form; specifies who has access to the form; and requires a report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. H 13 received a favorable report in Committee.
Senate Commerce Committee
The Committee met on Thursday, June 23, and approved one bill. H 800, Clarify Motor Vehicle Dealer Laws, seeks to clarify motor vehicle dealers and manufacturers licensing law.
In The News
WRAL: Committee formed to make deal on NC environment rules
Charlotte Observer: Bill to kill I-77 tolls all but dead
Winston Salem Journal: GOP presidential candidates outraising Dems in N.C.
Raleigh News and Observer: McCrory vows sales tax veto as senator rallies rural support
Raleigh News and Observer: NC House won’t sign off on Senate regulatory overhaul
Calendar
| Mon, July 27, 2015 | ||
| 1:30 PM | Session Convenes (Senate) | |
| 3:00 PM | Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee Agenda: Retiree Health Benefit Fund and State Auditor's presentation of DPI audit. | |
| 4:00 PM | Session Convenes (House) | |
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| 12:00 PM | Transportation (House) Dealership Loaner Vehicles. (S446) | |
| 1:00 PM | Judiciary II (House) Amend Insurance Laws.-AB (H287) | 421 LOB |
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| 12:00 PM | Rep. Rodney Moore - Press Conference - 50th Anniversary of Voting Rights Acts. | |