This week at the legislature, Senate confirmations continued as committees in both chambers received informational presentations and voted on bills.
Confirmations
Senate committees are continuing the process of confirming Governor Cooper's Cabinet members despite the matter being the subject of a pending lawsuit. This week the Senate confirmed Erik Hooks to be Secretary of Department of Public Safety and Jim Trogdon to be the Secretary of the Department of Transportation. Senate committees also issued subpoenas to two other acting secretaries to appear before them— Machelle Sanders, Department of Administration, and Tony Copeland, Department of Commerce. In addition, the Senate also confirmed Darrel Allison to fill the vacant seat on the UNC Board of Governors. Allison is the founding president of Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina and is a North Carolina Central University trustee.
Cooper veto (HB100)
Governor Cooper issued his first veto this week, objecting to a bill that would require that the political party of a judicial candidate be listed on the ballot. The bill will now be sent back to the General Assembly where a three-fifths majority from both chambers would be required for the veto to be overridden. With 74 seats in the House and 35 in the Senate, the GOP has a supermajority.
Bathrooms and Basketball (HB328)
In the wake of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) and Atlantic Coast Conference's (ACC) decisions to relocate championship tournaments outside of North Carolina in response to HB2, some House members are now questioning the tax-exempt status of these organizations. Representative Mark Brody (R-Union) has introduced a bill that would require the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate to file a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service against both the NCAA and ACC, questioning their tax-exempt status.
Bills Filed
| House Bills | |
| H323 | Honor the Life and Memory of Howard Wilson. |
| H324 | Pilot Project to Treat Opiate Overdose. |
| H325 | Amend Arson Law/Prosecutor Funds. |
| H326 | Military College Plates/Reduce Applications. |
| H327 | NC Board of Proprietary Schools. |
| H328 | Athletic Associations Accountability Act. |
| H329 | Home School Education Tax Credit. |
| H330 | CivPro/Qualified Immunity for Auto Accident. |
| H331 | Correct Board Member Terms/Town of Oakboro. |
| H332 | Morrow Mountain State Park License Plate. |
| H333 | Local Option Sales Tax Flexibility. |
| H334 | Families' Stabilization Act. |
| H335 | Vacancies/NC Sup Ct/Ct of App/Superior Ct/DAs. |
| H336 | Ltd. License/Drive to School Event Past 9:00. |
| H337 | Unmanned Aircraft Systems Law Revisions. |
| H338 | Establish New Nurse Licensure Compact. |
| H339 | North Carolina Teaching Fellows. |
| H340 | Special Separation Allowance for Firefighters. |
| H341 | Unlicensed Driver/Tow Vehicle. |
| H342 | Creedmoor Charter Revised & Consolidated. |
| H343 | Enforcement of DVPO on Appeal. |
| H344 | Exempt Ocular Surgery From CON Laws. |
| H345 | Omnibus Firearms Bill. |
| H346 | School Calendar Flex./Iredell County. |
| H347 | MV Municipal Tax/Exclude Trailers. |
| H348 | Give Retirees 1.5% COLA/Funds. |
| H349 | Currituck-Developer Funds for Road Constr. |
| H350 | Charlotte CRB/Issue Subpoena. |
| H351 | Utilities/Rate Base/Fair Value Determination. |
| H352 | Rate making/Water/Wastewater Public Utilities. |
| H353 | Authorize State Park System Expansion.-AB |
| H354 | Heating & Plumbing Disciplinary Changes. |
| H355 | Firefighters' Death Benefits/Cancers. |
| H356 | Tax Reduction Act of 2017. |
| H357 | Modernize Dietetics/Nutrition Practice Act. |
| H358 | Modernize Respiratory Care Practice Act. |
| H359 | CC/High School Enrollment in CTE Courses. |
| H360 | Harnett Co. Schools/Exam Window. |
| H361 | Coastal Crescent Trail/State Parks System. |
| H362 | Changes to the Juvenile Code.-AB |
| H363 | The Pollinator Protection Act. |
| H364 | Tolling of Misdemeanor Statutes. |
| H365 | Towing MVs With Handicapped Placard/Plate. |
| H366 | Retail Workers' Bill of Rights. |
| H367 | Community Health Centers Grant Program/Funds. |
| H368 | Block MV Reg./Unpaid Parking Fines in W-S. |
| H369 | Community Corrections and Probations. |
| H370 | Interstate Compact Bill. |
| H371 | Agency Powers and Duties/Technical Changes.-AB |
| H372 | School Cal. Flex./Warren County. |
| H373 | DOL/Carolina Star Program.-AB |
| H374 | 2017 DOL Technical Changes.-AB |
| H375 | School Cal. Flex./CC. |
| H376 | Subdivision Improvement Guarantee Changes. |
| H377 | School Cal. Flex./Chatham County. |
| H378 | Bertie/Gates County/Ambulance Service. |
| H379 | Task Force on Regulatory Reform. |
| H380 | Winston-Salem Downtown Revitalization. |
| H381 | Winston-Salem Downtown Econ. Development. |
| H382 | Insurance Technical Corrections.-AB |
| H383 | NAIC Model/Own Risk and Solvency Assessment.-AB |
| H384 | Increase Penalties/Organized Retail Theft. |
| H385 | Impaired Hunting/Orange County. |
| H386 | Intensive Family Preservation Services Funds. |
| H387 | Corner Store Initiative. |
| H388 | Modernize Mutual Assistance Statutes. |
| H389 | School Calendar Flexibility Pilot Program. |
| H390 | Counties/Internet Infrastructure. |
| H391 | American Economic Recovery. |
| H392 | Notary Public/Noncitizens. |
| H393 | Mebane Charter Revised & Consolidated. |
| H394 | Correction to Day/Date. |
| H395 | Add Member to NC Training Standards Commiss. |
| H396 | Municipal Broadband Service Area. |
| H397 | Carolina Shores Deannexation. |
| H398 | Brunswick County/Municipal Meals Taxes. |
| H399 | Stop Images Taken W/O Consent From Dissemin. |
| H400 | Exempt Vacation Linen Rentals From Sales Tax. |
| H401 | Supporting Clean Energy/Creating Green Jobs. |
| H402 | Limit Env. Liability for Certain Recyclers. |
| H403 | LME/MCO Claims Reporting/Mental Health Amdts. |
| H404 | Debts to Judgment Debtors/Pay to Sheriff. |
| Senate Bills | |
| S301 | Need-Based Scholarships/Private Colleges. |
| S302 | Concussion Protocol/County Rec. |
| S303 | Use of Passing Lane/Increased Penalty. |
| S304 | Required Financial Audits. |
| S305 | Raise Awareness About Alzheimer's & Dementias. |
| S306 | Subdivide Mecklenburg County District Courts. |
| S307 | Occup. Therapy/Choice of Provider. |
| S308 | Amend Various DWI Statutes. |
| S309 | 9/11 as First Responders Day. |
| S310 | Advisory Council Review of Rare Disease Bills. |
| S311 | DHHS Study/Maternal and Neonatal Care. |
| S312 | Surplus Computers for Low-Income Students. |
| S313 | Increase Small Brewery Limits. |
| S314 | Give Retirees 2% COLA/Funds. |
| S315 | Implement UNC Undergrad Completion Plan. |
| S316 | Suicide Prevention/Awareness School Personnel. |
| S317 | Hypertension Awareness Day. |
| S249 | Coyote Bounty Pilot Program. |
| S250 | Judicial Standards Commission. |
| S251 | Privacy/Protect SSN/CHP. |
| S252 | North Carolina Teaching Fellows. |
| S253 | Carteret Co. Bd. of Ed. Partisan Election. |
| S254 | Access to Sports/Extracurr. Certain Students. |
| S255 | Stop Images Taken W/O Consent From Dissemin. |
| S256 | Body Art Regulation Changes. |
| S257 | Appropriations Act of 2017. |
| S258 | Enact Naturopathic Doctors Certification Act. |
| S259 | Restore Master's Degree Pay for All Teachers. |
| S260 | Wake Forest Annexation. |
| S261 | Kannapolis Deannexation. |
| S262 | School Calendar Flex./Certain School Systems. |
| S263 | UNC Board of Governors Vacancy. |
| S264 | 38th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S265 | Creedmoor Charter Revised & Consolidated. |
| S266 | Durham Donut Annexations. |
| S267 | 20th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S268 | Stormwater/Flood Control Activities. |
| S269 | Durham Speed Device Pilot/School Zones. |
| S270 | Lumberton Riverwalk Funds. |
| S271 | Fair Bluff Visitors Center Funds. |
| S272 | Fair Bluff Town Hall Funds. |
| S273 | Fair Bluff Riverwalk Funds. |
| S274 | Robeson First Responders Training/Funds. |
| S275 | Columbus Swift Water Training/Funds. |
| S276 | Robeson Swift Water Training/Funds. |
| S277 | Robeson County/Local Business Preference. |
| S278 | Pembroke Optometry School Funds. |
| S279 | Change Exclusion for Solar Energy Systems. |
| S280 | Early Literacy Initiative/Funds. |
| S281 | Currituck-Developer Funds for Road Constr. |
| S282 | Hatteras Village Community Center District. |
| S283 | Modify Jacksonville Occupancy Tax. |
| S284 | Property Insurance Fairness. |
| S285 | Require Electoral Districts/City of Asheville. |
| S286 | Amend LEO Recordings: Decision Authority. |
| S287 | 16th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S288 | 39th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| S289 | Town of Sunset Beach/Deannexation. |
| S290 | Medicaid Expansion/Healthcare Jobs Initiative. |
| S291 | NCVPS/Equal Access to Education. |
| S292 | Ordinance Violation Not a Misdemeanor. |
| S293 | Insurance Technical Corrections.-AB |
| S294 | Depopulate Reinsurance Fac./NCRB Opt Out. |
| S295 | NAIC Model/Own Risk and Solvency Assessment.-AB |
| S296 | Road Improvements Adjacent to Schools. |
| S297 | Modernize Dietetics/Nutrition Practice Act. |
| S298 | Mayberry Special Registration Plate. |
| S299 | Habitual Impaired Driving/10-Year Period. |
| S300 | Inclusionary Zoning - Durham. |
| S301 | Need-Based Scholarships/Private Colleges. |
| S302 | Concussion Protocol/County Rec. |
| S303 | Use of Passing Lane/Increased Penalty. |
| S304 | Required Financial Audits. |
| S305 | Raise Awareness About Alzheimer's & Dementias. |
| S306 | Subdivide Mecklenburg County District Courts. |
| S307 | Occup. Therapy/Choice of Provider. |
| S308 | Amend Various DWI Statutes. |
| S309 | 9/11 as First Responders Day. |
| S310 | Advisory Council Review of Rare Disease Bills. |
| S311 | DHHS Study/Maternal and Neonatal Care. |
| S312 | Surplus Computers for Low-Income Students. |
| S313 | Increase Small Brewery Limits. |
| S314 | Give Retirees 2% COLA/Funds. |
| S315 | Implement UNC Undergrad Completion Plan. |
| S316 | Suicide Prevention/Awareness School Personnel. |
| S317 | Hypertension Awareness Day. |
For more information, contact the Brooks Pierce Government Affairs Team, linked below.
