North Carolina Legislative Report - May 29, 2015
May 29, 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 Health Committee
The Committee met Wednesday, May 27, and took up three bills. S 7 (PCS), Allow Seating for Food Stand Customers, received a favorable report and was referred to the Commerce and Job Development Committee. S 286, Regulate the Sale of E-Liquid Containers, received a favorable report and was referred to the Commerce and Job Development Committee. H 698 (PCS), Baby Carlie Nugent Bill, received a favorable report and was referred to the Finance Committee.
House Finance Committee
The Committee met on Thursday, May 28, and approved two bills. H 385, Sheriffs' Supp. Pension Fund Changes, would increase from $1.25 to $2.50 the portion of court costs used to fund supplemental pension benefits for sheriffs in the Sheriffs' Supplemental Pension Fund (SSPF) and allow unused sick leave in the Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System (LGERS) to be applied as eligible service in the SSPF. H 698, Baby Carlie Nugent Bill, would require the Commission for Public Health to adopt rules to implement a screening test for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and other T-Cell lymphopenias detectable as a result of SCID; authorize a fee increase from $19 to $24; and appropriate $466,132 for the 2015-16 fiscal year to purchase laboratory instrumentation and upgrades to the NC State Laboratory of Public Health.
Senate Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources Committee
The Committee met on Wednesday, May 27, and approved one bill. H 640, Outdoor Heritage Act, seeks to preserve North Carolina’s outdoor heritage for future generations and amends various Wildlife Resources Commission laws.
Senate Appropriations Subcommittees
The Senate Appropriations subcommittees met this week to review target budget numbers and funding priorities. They will continue assembling their budgets next week. Senators are scheduled to take the budget up for a vote in the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 9. The bill is scheduled be discussed on the Senate floor for final votes June 10 and 11.
Senate Finance Committee
The Committee met on Wednesday, May 27, and approved two bills. H 347, Graham, Buncombe Occ. Tax/Stokesdale Fire, would modify the Graham County occupancy tax without changing the tax rate; authorize Buncombe County to levy an additional two percent occupancy tax and make other administrative changes; and authorize the Guilford and Rockingham County Boards of Commissioners, upon request of the Stokesdale Town Council, to hold a special election in the Stokesdale rural fire protection district for the purpose of increasing the allowable special tax rate for fire protection within that district from 10 cents to 15 cents. H 909, ABC Omnibus Legislation, would make numerous changes with respect to the State’s alcoholic beverage control laws including the following: allowing for the sale of antique spirituous liquor; banning sales of powdered alcohol; authorize the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians tribal alcoholic beverage control commission to issue certain permits; allow distillers to sell limited quantities of spirituous liquor to visitors to the distillery; allow for the sale of unfortified wine in “growlers”; make certain changes with respect to breweries; and allow the ABC Commission to issue additional guest room cabinet permits under limited circumstances.
In The News
WRAL: McCrory vetoes same-sex marriage opt out for magistrates
Raleigh News & Observer: McCrory, Pope push bonds to GOP caucus
Charlotte Observer: Tech giants urge halt to green-energy freeze
WRAL: NC voting districts challenged again
Fayetteville Observer: Drilling starts in Hoke County to determine fracking possibilities
Calendar
| Mon, June 01, 2015 | ||
| 11:00 AM | Session Convenes (Senate) | |
| 7:00 PM | Session Convenes (House) | |
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| 1:00 PM | Insurance (House) Autism Health Insurance Coverage. (S676) | |
| 1:00 PM | Judiciary II (House) No Contact Order/No Expiration. (S60) | 421 LOB |
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| 10:00 AM | Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources (Senate) Agenda: to be determined | |
| 10:00 AM | Health (House) Amend Certain Reqs/Permanency Innovation Comm. (S366) | |
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| 10:00 AM | 1027/1128 LB | |