The legislators finished up a second short session this week, adjourning until October 4th.
Redistricting
The General Assembly approved new House and Senate district maps Wednesday just ahead of the court-ordered deadline of September 1st. The maps will need to be approved by the three-judge panel that ruled the existing maps to be illegal gerrymanders.
GenX and Environmental Laws (H56)
Both chambers adopted a conference report this week that coupled GenX monitoring funding with a contentious bill that seeks to amend various environmental laws. The compromise appropriates a total of $435,000 to the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington to monitor and study the unregulated chemical GenX that has been found in the Cape Fear River. Among other things, the bill also repeals the ban on plastic bags on the barrier islands and peninsulas of Currituck, Hyde, and Dare counties and gives sheriffs more autonomy over maintaining riparian buffers for the sake of public safety.
Adjournment
The General Assembly adjourned this Thursday with plans to return for a third special session on October 4th. The October 4th session will allow for the consideration of more topics than the past two sessions. Among other issues, the legislators can consider changes to the new legislative maps, responses to lawsuits, and proposed amendments to the state constitution.
For more information, contact our Government Affairs Team, linked below.
