This week the pace quickens within the House and Senate policy committees while the Appropriations committees received presentations on Governor Cooper's proposed budget recommendations.
Regulatory Reform (HB131)
A bill entitled Regulatory Reform Act of 2016, which seeks to adopt all of the regulatory provisions agreed upon by the House and Senate last year, has passed the Senate Natural and Environmental Resources Committee and the Senate Rules Committee. The bill will be heard on the Senate floor Tuesday, March 14th.
Subpoenas Issued
Senate committees have continued the process of confirming Governor Cooper's Cabinet members despite the matter being the subject of a pending lawsuit. The Senate confirmed Larry Hall to be Secretary of Military and Veterans Affairs this week. Similar to a process followed with Secretary Hall, Senate committees issued subpoenas to three other acting secretaries to appear before them-- Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon, Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Susi Hamilton, and Environmental Quality Secretary Michael Regan.
Judicial Appointments (HB239, HB240, HB241)
The House approved three bills this week that will effectively limit the Governor's ability to appoint judges. The trio of bills, all filed by Representative Justin Burr (R-Albemarle), would reduce the size of the State Court of Appeals from 15 to 12 (HB239) and would grant the General Assembly the authority to appoint District Court vacancies (HB240) and special superior court judges vacancies.
Bills Filed
| House Bills | |
| H254 | Surplus Computers for Low-Income Students. |
| H255 | Cornelius Annexation. |
| H256 | Modify Various Appointments. |
| H257 | Stanly County Municipalities/Contracts. |
| H258 | Amend Med. Mal. Health Care Provider Defin. |
| H259 | Got Natural Milk. |
| H260 | Attorney General/North Shore Rd. Payment. |
| H261 | Displaced Residential Land Tax Deferral. |
| H262 | Kannapolis Deannexation. |
| H263 | UCC: Accord & Satisfaction Modification. |
| H264 | Disqualify Certain Property From PUV. |
| H265 | Partisan Elections/Certain School Boards. |
| H266 | Terminate Agreement for Tolling of I-77. |
| H267 | Utilities/Amend REPS Requirements. |
| H268 | City of Belmont Charter Revisions. |
| H269 | School Calendar Flex./Person County. |
| H270 | The Haley Hayes Newborn Screening Bill. |
| H271 | Repeal Plastic Bag Ban. |
| H272 | Fox and Coyote Trapping/Yadkin County. |
| H273 | Charter Schools in State Health Plan. |
| H274 | Increase Penalties for Debt Adjusting. |
| H275 | No Stormwater Fees on Taxiways or Runways. |
| H276 | Strengthen Youth Tobacco Use Prevention/Funds. |
| H277 | Expand Rx Drug Abuse Advisory Committee. |
| H278 | Occ.Lic./Amend Fee Sched. Barber Examiners Bd. |
| H279 | Fantasy Sports Regulation. |
| H280 | Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act. |
| H281 | Sch. Cal. Modification/Hoke County Schools. |
| H282 | Yadkin Occupancy Tax Modification. |
| H283 | Telehealth Fairness Act. |
| H284 | 25-Year LEO Retirement Option. |
| H285 | Suicide Prevention/Awareness School Personnel. |
| H286 | School Calendar Flex./Cumberland County. |
| H287 | Red Light Cameras/Hope Mills & Spring Lake. |
| H288 | Town of Raynham/Extend Mayor's Term of Office. |
| H289 | Living Wage By 2022. |
| H290 | Abolish Columbus County Coroner. |
| H291 | School Calendar Flex./Certain School Systems. |
| H292 | Disapprove Cape Fear Rules. |
| H293 | Onslow Bd. Ed. Partisan/Swain Clarify Elect. |
| H294 | Unclaimed Property Notice Requirements.-AB |
| H295 | Health Care Sharing Expenses Deduction. |
| H296 | School Calendar Flexibility/Moore County. |
| H297 | Amend Habitual DWI. |
| H298 | 0.00 Alcohol Restriction - All DWI. |
| H299 | State Health Plan Administrative Changes.-AB |
| H300 | Partially Disabled Veteran/Free Plate. |
| H301 | School Calendar Flex./Certain School Systems. |
| H302 | DoDEA/Clinical Educators for Student Teaching. |
| H303 | Voter Freedom Act. |
| H304 | DOT/Maintain Driveways Used by School Buses. |
| H305 | School Boards Can't Sue Counties. |
| H306 | E-Verify Required - All Government Contracts. |
| H307 | Board Cert. Behavior Analyst/Autism Coverage. |
| H308 | No Insurance While Driving/Tow Vehicle. |
| H309 | Responsible Deer Management Act. |
| H310 | Wireless Communications Infrastructure Siting. |
| H311 | State Auditor/Various Amendments.-AB |
| H312 | Clarify Rules Review Commission Review. |
| H313 | School Calendar Flex./Durham Public Schools. |
| H314 | School Calendar Flex./Orange County. |
| H315 | Kelsey Smith Act. |
| H316 | Catawba Valley CC/Manufacturing Center. |
| H317 | Surcharge Transparency. |
| H318 | School Calendar Flex./Yadkin County. |
| H319 | Study Solar Facility Decommissioning Rqmts. |
| H320 | Study Electronics Recycling. |
| H321 | Study Solid Waste Disposal Tax. |
| H322 | School Performance Grades. |
| Senate Bills | |
| S179 | Recognize Chowanoke Tribe. |
| S180 | 3rd Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S181 | Amend W-S Charter/Certain Candidates. |
| S182 | Prohibit Use of Light Bars on Motor Vehicles. |
| S183 | 6th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S184 | Evidence Passed Vehicle Is a School Bus. |
| S185 | Abolish Columbus County Coroner. |
| S186 | Increase Sampson County Occupancy Tax. |
| S187 | 21st Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S188 | No Powell Bill Funds/Sanctuary Cities. |
| S189 | Tolling of Misd. Statute of Limitations. |
| S190 | The Haley Hayes Newborn Screening Bill. |
| S191 | 28th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S192 | Consolidate State Offices/Digital Docs Req'd. |
| S193 | 37th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S194 | School Calendar Flex./Caldwell County. |
| S195 | School Calendar Flex./Watauga County. |
| S196 | Veterinary Practice Omnibus. |
| S197 | Adopt Bobcat as State Cat. |
| S198 | Study Efficacy of Film Credit Versus Grant. |
| S199 | Law Enforcement Officer Retirement/25 Years. |
| S200 | 7th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S201 | School Calendar Flexibility/Certain Systems. |
| S202 | 23rd Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S203 | Establish Ownership of Mineral Rights. |
| S204 | Allow Concealed Carry on UNC & CC Campuses. |
| S205 | Resolution to Allow SAV Oyster Leasing. |
| S206 | Municipal Elections in Even-Numbered Years. |
| S207 | 34th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S208 | Counties/Internet Infrastructure. |
| S209 | Nonpartisan Redistricting Commission. |
| S210 | Living Wage By 2022. |
| S211 | Charter Schools/Higher Ed. |
| S212 | ABC Elections. |
| S213 | Military State Income Tax Relief. |
| S214 | 49th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S215 | Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Calendar Pilot. |
| S216 | Local Firefighter Relief Fund Reporting. |
| S217 | Richmond/Right-of-Way Safety. |
| S218 | State Health Plan Administrative Changes.-AB |
| S219 | 2nd Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S220 | Motor Fuel Tax Refund for Joint Agency. |
| S221 | School Calendar Flexibility/Guilford County. |
| S222 | Search & Rescue Name/Funds. |
| S223 | Habitual Felons/Clarify Previous Convictions. |
| S224 | Include B/E With Intent to Terrorize in HB/E . |
| S225 | Abolish Cleveland County Coroner. |
| S226 | School Calendar Flex./Certain School Systems. |
| S227 | School Cal. Flex./Certain Systems. |
| S228 | Voter Freedom Act. |
| S229 | Protection for Former Government Officer. |
| S230 | Exempt Vacation Linen Rentals From Sales Tax. |
| S231 | Dental Services/Medicaid Transformation. |
| S232 | Septic Tank Tax Fairness Act. |
| S233 | Permit Align School/Comm. College Calendar. |
| S234 | SBA Pay/Needs-Based Pub. Sch. Capital Fund. |
| S235 | Appropriations Act of 2017. |
| S236 | Efficient and Affordable Energy Rates. |
| S237 | School Calendar Flex./Caswell County. |
| S238 | Caswell County Meals Tax. |
| S239 | Youth Development Pilot Program. |
For more information, contact the Brooks Pierce Government Affairs Team, linked below.
