Hurricane Katrina Fundraiser Tonight

DonorsChoose is having a fundraiser in Durham tonight to benefit students and teachers displaced in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Please visit http://www.donorschoose.org/event_nc.php to learn more about the event.

Gasoline

As gas prices rise across North Carolina and the country, North Carolina Attorney General, Roy Cooper, suggests North Carolina consumers watch out for price fixing by gas stations and to take steps to save money at the pump.

North Carolina has laws against price fixing, which can occur when competitors agree together to raise or fix their prices. Any consumers who have evidence of price fixing by gas stations in their area are encouraged to file a complaint with the AG’s office. You can do so by visiting www.ncdoj.com or by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. Cooper also wrote to the Federal Trade Commission asking it to monitor the gasoline market in North Carolina for any illegal practices.

Consider the following tips you can follow to save money on gas:

Shop around. Encourage competition by taking your business to gas stations with lower prices.
Slow down. Keeping your speed down means you're burning less of that expensive gas. Using cruise control and the overdrive gear on your car can also help.
Tune up. To increase your miles per gallon, keep your engine tuned, replace clogged oil and air filters, and make sure your oxygen sensor works properly. Using the right grade of motor oil for your car and keeping your tires properly inflated will also help.
Stick to regular gas unless your owner's manual specifies you need a higher grade.
Plan your route. Combine trips to save gas. For example, run errands while on your way to work or while taking your kids to school. Also, consider carpooling or use public and alternative forms of transportation.
Pick the right vehicle. If you own more than one car, drive the one that gets the best gas mileage.
Don't idle. Turn off your engine if you plan to sit for awhile.
Don't overload your trunk. Clear unnecessary things from your trunk and avoid hauling large items on your roof to improve your gas mileage.

Schools:K-12-Universities

Superintendent June Atkinson and the State Board of Education organized a coordinated effort among NC school systems and schools as well as DPI and the SBE to provide assistance.North Carolina school districts have already begun to receive students for enrollment from the Gulf Coast states affected by Hurricane Katrina. Thank you for what you have already done to help these students and their families. It is our goal to serve these children and their families when they move to our state.Many of these youngsters will not have immunization records, school records or otherpaperwork with them, but State law (115C-366(a3)(1)e) specifically authorizes a student who is not a domiciliary of a local school administrative unit to attend based on the un-inhabitation of the student's home as the result of a natural disaster. A student meeting these criteria should be admitted and registered (NC WISE) or enrolled (SIMS) as a visiting student.

UNC President Molly Corbett Broad announced that the 16 campuses of the University of North Carolina are committed to assisting students enrolled at universities that have been forced to close as a result of Hurricane Katrina. All campuses will accommodate impacted students on a space-available basis.Preference will be given to North Carolina residents who are attending one of the affected universities, but accommodation shall be as extensive as the campus can reasonably provide. As for our own faculty, staff or students personally impacted by the disaster, we are prepared to assist them during this difficult time.The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is maintaining a listing of institutions offering assistance to affected students, including all 16 UNC campuses at http://www.sacscoc.org/.For specific information about accommodations provided by UNC campuses, please visit the corresponding campus website.

Donations and Volunteering

Citizens in North Carolina who want to donate money to help with relief efforts in other states can call the N.C. Disaster Hotline toll free at 1-888-835-9966 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The money that is collected will be sent to the other states to use for their immediate needs.

The N.C. Disaster Relief Fund is managed by the Governor’s Office in partnership with United Way of North Carolina. There is no administrative cost associated with the fund, and 100 percent of the donated funds will go to the victims. Make checks payable to the N.C. Helping Neighbors Fund and mail to:
N.C. Helping Neighbors Fund
Office of the Governor
20312 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0312

Based on experience with previous disasters and what we hear the federal government, the best form of assistance is cash donations. Donations of food and clothing are particularly difficult to coordinate over long distances. See the information below. Also please remember that your municipality or county cannot contribute cash.

Voluntary organizations are seeking cash donations to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina in Gulf Coast states, according to Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. But, volunteers should not report directly to the affected areas unless directed by a voluntary agency.

Cash donations are especially helpful to victims," Brown said. "They allow volunteer agencies to issue cash vouchers to victims so they can meet their needs. Cash donations also allow agencies to avoid the labor-intensive need to store, sort, pack, and distribute donated goods. Donated money prevents, too, the prohibitive cost of air or sea transportation that donated goods require."

Volunteer agencies provide a wide variety of services after disasters, such as clean up, childcare, housing repair, crisis counseling, sheltering and food.

Here is a list of phone numbers set up solely for cash donations and/or volunteers:

DONATE CASH:
American Red Cross
1-800-HELP NOW (435-7669) English, 1-800-257-7575 Spanish;
Operation Blessing
1-800-436-6348
America's Second Harvest
1-800-344-8070

DONATE CASH AND VOLUNTEER:
Adventist Community Services
1-800-381-7171
Catholic Charities, USA
703 549-1390
Christian Disaster Response
941-956-5183 or 941-551-9554
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee
1-800-848-5818
Church World Service
1-800-297-1516
Convoy of Hope
417-823-8998
Lutheran Disaster Response
800-638-3522
Mennonite Disaster Service
717-859-2210
Nazarene Disaster Response
888-256-5886
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
800-872-3283
The Salvation Army
1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769)
Southern Baptist Convention -- Disaster Relief
1-800-462-8657, ext. 6440
United Methodist Committee on Relief
1-800-554-8583

For further information: visit the website for the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) at: http://www.nvoad.org/.

Local Efforts-Hurricane Katrina

The State Emergency Management Team has been coordinating potential local aid for Katrina (State or Federal). They have been asked to follow certain protocol, as folks who show up to help may cause additional hardships because there are no accommodations for them either.
All requests for assistance will come from the State of North Carolina, and will filter down to the local emergency teams.
This information came from Mike Guzo, Search and Rescue Coordinator, Assistant Coordinator Emergency Services, North Carolina Division of Emergency Management. He states that Police and Fire are currently on stand-by, in a readiness mode. If any request for deployment is received from the State, he will notify local governments ASAP.

Statewide Efforts To Aid Katrina Victims

The N.C. Division of Forest Resources (NCDFR) has dispatched 27 employees trained in disaster relief to Louisiana. They will partner with another eight Division employees, who were sent last week to Florida to help that state recover from Katrina. The 35 NCDFR staff will assist FEMA teams who are receiving and distributing ice, bottled water, ready-to-eat meals, canned foods, portable lights, batteries, first aid kits and other relief supplies to victims of the hurricane.
The N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has offered assistance with bridge repairs, debris removal and traffic control in affected states. NCDOT crews are on standby and ready to respond as needed.
The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (NCDENR) Division of Forest Resources has dispatched a total of 80 employees trained in disaster relief to the Gulf Coast to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. The staff will assist FEMA teams who are receiving and distributing ice, bottled water, ready-to-eat meals, canned foods, portable lights, batteries, first aid kits and other relief supplies to victims of the hurricane.
NCDENR’s Division of Environmental Health is assembling teams of state and local food specialists and onsite wastewater specialists to leave as early as Sunday for Louisiana for a two-week period. These individuals will assist Louisiana officials in determining if restaurants are safe to reopen and septic systems are viable for use.

The N.C. Department of Commerce (NCDOC) is offering its experience regarding disaster recovery programs, particularly related to hurricane and flood damage, to the Departments of Commerce in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. These programs will work to bring quick relief to businesses owners and shorten the turnaround time to get the businesses back in operation. The NCDOC is also ready to offer states affected by Hurricane Katrina advice and technical assistance with state business assistance programs.
The N.C. Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (NCJJDP) Center for the Prevention of School Violence will provide technical assistance and expertise on disaster recovery to the Mississippi Safe Schools Center. Officials in Mississippi have stated that, “32 out of 152 school districts in Mississippi are out of operation with major structural damage.” NCJJDP is awaiting a list of needs from Mississippi to determine next steps with its technical assistance provision.

In addition, the Division of Emergency Management has offered staff to assist with damage assessment and donation management. The divisions of Facility Services and Emergency Management also are preparing to send a field hospital with a team of physicians, nurses and paramedics to the region later this week.
The N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety (NCCCPS) and the N.C. National Guard are deploying 300 troops to the Gulf region. Troops will help rescue stranded refugees, provide assistance to the sick and injured, hand out supplies of food, water and ice, and provide traffic and crowd control.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services’ (NCDHHS) Division of Public Health has 21 employees on standby to join recovery efforts. In addition, the division has provided the affected states with hurricane educational materials that were developed during Hurricanes Fran and Floyd. The NCDHHS Division of Facility Services is coordinating a portable 110-bed hospital deploying this weekend to serve survivors in the New Orleans area. Sixty medical specialists from across the state, ranging from surgeons and anesthesiologists to nurses and paramedics, will join this effort.

The Division of Public Health has 21 employees on standby to join recovery efforts. In addition, the division has provided the affected states with hurricane educational materials that were developed during Hurricanes Fran and Floyd.

The Department of Cultural Resources has offered its resources to FEMA and will work with the N.C. Museums Council, the Southeastern Museums Conference and the American Association of Museums to organize support for art museums, archival collections, and historical museums in affected states. Help can include technical assistance, refrigeration for archival materials, climate controlled storage space for objects and archival materials, communications and other appropriate measures.

Gov. Mike Easley has ordered select N.C. National Guard armories to open Monday morning as storm shelters to provide refuge for those fleeing the path of the then-Category 5 hurricane. Shelters remain available in Asheville, Gastonia and Charlotte.

Brenda Hodge, communications officer for the Louisiana Senate, has provided the following Internet link for anyone who may be interested in helping with Katrina relief efforts: http://2theadvocate.com/livepages4/830.shtml.

Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response and head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), urged all fire and emergency services departments not to respond to counties and states affected by Hurricane Katrina unless requested and lawfully dispatched by state and local authorities under mutual aid agreements and the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

The U.S. Fire Administration, part of FEMA, asks that fire and emergency services organizations remain in contact with their local and state emergency management agency officials for updates on requirements in the affected areas.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003

In The News...Hurricane Katrina

We have heard from a number of people who want to know how to provide assistance to governments, communities and families affected by Hurricane Katrina. Please let your county emergency management agency know that you have assistance available. Then go to www.ncmutualaid.org and respond to particular requests for assistance. The League of Municipalities and the Association of County Commissioners will be working with appropriate state and federal agencies to coordinate requests for assistance.

It may take some time to determine exactly where and what assistance will be needed. Mutual aid needs to be coordinated through North Carolina's Emergency Management Division in order for a local government to qualify for reimbursement under the Stafford Act. Remember that this disaster is a different situation from disasters that have previously occurred within the state.

Greetings From Raleigh 9-06-05

I hope you find this special blog update with information about Hurricane Katrina useful and that you'll contact me about your views. You can reach me in Raleigh at (919) 733-5771 or by sending me an e-mail at this address. You can also send mail to me at the NC Legislative Building, Room 2119, Raleigh, NC 27601-2808.

Let’s keep the people of New Orleans in our thoughts and prayers. Hope you had a good Labor Day Weekend!

Cheers,

Pricey

In Other News...(9-02-05)

The House completed work on several remaining bills this week before adjourning for the year. Below is a quick snapshot of some of the bills that were approved by the House and/or the Senate in the last several days:

Meth Lab Prevention – One of the most important accomplishments of this year’s session is passage of the Meth Lab Prevention Act, which seeks to reduce the growing crime problem across our state. The House passed what was described as the most comprehensive anti-meth lab bill in the country on Tuesday, which was slightly different that a version previously approved by the Senate. When it became clear that the Senate would not return to vote on the House approved stronger bill, the House approved the Senate's rewrite of HB 248 on Wednesday in order to have an anti-meth law before next May. We hope to have a stronger measure, summarized below, approved next year.

The unanimously approved legislation would keep certain cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, which are used in the illegal manufacturing of meth, behind a pharmacy counter. Gel caps and products intended for children under 12 would remain on shelves, although a state commission would have the power to restrict those items further. Consumers will need to show photo identification and sign a log before buying the medicine, and would be limited to no more than two products at once and three a month. The bill now awaits the Governor’s signature to become law.

Law-enforcement officials say that small, home labs for making meth have become more common in recent years. There were nine meth labs discovered in 1999, and 322 in 2004, according to the Attorney General’s office.
The House and Senate passed different versions of the legislation earlier in the session and have worked together over the last several weeks to reach a compromise.

The more comprehensive and stronger anti-meth bill which was passed by the House on Tuesday would have restricted the sale of all medicine containing pseudoephedrine by putting the medicine behind either a pharmacy counter or behind a single locked cabinet at a retail store if no pharmacy counter is present. The bill also required security measure such as video surveillance of sales areas or anti-theft devices on the medications. Individuals buying cold medicine would be required to register their name and address in a logbook and would not be permitted to buy more than 2 packages in one transaction and no more than 3 packages per month. In addition to the restrictions on purchases of cold medicine, the bill also included requirements for all wholesale distributors to report transactions involving pseudoephedrine products to the State Bureau of Investigation every month.
The legislation also would increase penalties on those arrested for meth production. Under the stronger bill, any person arrested for the manufacturing of meth or for possession of chemicals believed to be used for the production of meth can be denied bail if that person is dependent on the drug or has a pattern of meth use. This provision would assure the safety of the community by not allowing a known offender immediately back out on the street.
North Carolina’s meth problem has increased tremendously over the past few years, and legislators, the Governor, and Attorney General Roy Cooper have been working to battle the spread of secret drug labs that produce the dangerous drug. In 2004, 124 children were found living in meth labs in the state. Children in these homes are threatened by toxic chemicals, fire, and explosions, and are often neglected or abused. Thus far in 2005, more than 50 children have been removed from homes where meth was being made.

Military Support Act (SB 1117) – The Legislature gave final approval to the 2005 Military Support Act, which will help the careers of military spouses, the schooling of their children, and the morale of those left behind during deployments. The Senate voted unanimously in favor of changes made Monday night by the House to the 2005 Military Support Act. The measure now goes to Governor Easley for his signature. The bill would set aside $1 million apiece for conservation easement purchases around the installations and quality-of-life and morale programs for the military. The bill attempts to make college tuition less expensive for the dependents of retired military personnel by giving them the in-state rate. The legislation would also work to ease state licensing requirements for military spouses who have professional licenses issued in other states.


$150 Bonus for State Employees (HB 575) – The House overwhelmingly approved a bill on Monday night that would give a $150 bonus to state employees making less than $50,000 per year. This increase was suggested during the final budget discussions several weeks ago, but was not supported by Gov. Mike Easley and the Senate. The House voted 109-3 for the legislation; however, it will not be considered by the Senate until next May at the earliest.


Additional Anti-Crime Measures (SB 61) – The House approved legislation on Wednesday that seeks to strengthen the laws against impaired driving by increasing the punishment for felony death by vehicle and to expand the number of judges and assistant district attorneys in several jurisdictions. The measure also would allow a victim of a sexually violent offense or the victim’s family to obtain a civil no-contact order against a registered sex offender who resides or works within a quarter mile of the victim’s residence, school, place of employment, or other specific location.


Global Warming Study Commission (SB 1134) – The General Assembly gave its final approval to legislation that creates a legislative commission to study global warming’s impact on North Carolina. The House and Senate agreed to a compromise worked out that would create a 32-member commission. The panel could recommend a pollution-reducing goal when it reports to the General Assembly by November, 2006. The panel membership includes members of the public, representatives of the state’s top power companies, as well as industry and environmental groups and universities. The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.


Local Vote for Additional Education Funding – The House passed a series of bills at the end of last week and on Monday night that would allow 45 counties across the state to hold a local referendum on increasing their sales tax by one-half percent to raise money for school construction. The ½ cent increase would only occur if voters approved the measure. The bills will not be approved during this year’s session due to the Senate’s refusal to take up the measures before adjourning.

If the Senate approves the bills next May, the following counties would be able to include a referendum on the ballot for public schools and community college construction: Alexander, Anson, Beaufort, Bladen, Buncombe, Camden, Carteret, Catawba, Chatham, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Edgecombe, Granville, Guilford, Halifax, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Nash, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Pitt, Richmond, Sampson, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Tyrrell, Union, Vance, Wake, and Wilson. Chatham, Franklin, Lee and Vance Counties would have a referendum for public school construction only, and Haywood County would have a referendum for community college construction only. The combined state and local sales tax is now 7 percent in all counties except Mecklenburg, which is 7.5 percent.

And Finally, House Adjournment- The House passed the joint resolution for adjournment on Wednesday afternoon and the Senate concurred during its session this morning. The resolution requires that the General Assembly return for the 2006 short session on Tuesday, May 9th.

Governor Signs Lottery Bill

North Carolina is set to become the final state on the East Coast to start a lottery after Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue broke a Senate tie Tuesday, voting to create a lottery that supporters have sought for more than 20 years. As you remember, the House approved the lottery on April 6 by a vote of 61-59. The State Senate finally approved the House lottery bill earlier this week, which is projected to raise approximately $400 million. The vote was deadlocked at 24-24 before Perdue, the Senate’s presiding officer, cast the deciding vote. Perdue got the chance to vote because Sens. John Garwood, R-Wilkes, and Harry Brown, R-Onslow, did not make it to Raleigh for the session, after having been told last week that the Senate would take up no more business before the short session. Both Senators could have used a parliamentary procedure that would have allowed their votes to count if paired with a Senator with an opposing vote, which possibly could have defeated the bill; however, neither chose to do that, although it is alleged that Senator Garwood planned to pair his vote and was talked out of it at the last minute. Governor Easley signed the lottery bill into law on Wednesday morning at the State Capitol.

The Governor and Speaker Jim Black have stressed the importance of ensuring that lottery proceeds are only used to further improve and expand education programs and do not supplant or replace existing education funds. The two leaders are floating the possibility of passing a constitutional amendment, which could appear on the ballot next year, to put in place additional funding safeguards.

Easley administration officials estimate that a lottery will generate approximately $425 million in net proceeds during the 2006-07 fiscal year and would be allocated in the following way: 5% of revenues off the top would be placed in the “Education Lottery Reserve Fund,” which could be tapped if lottery profits do not meet expectations in a bad year. The reserve would be capped at $50 million. Half of the proceeds would go to class-size reduction in early grades and to expand pre-kindergarten programs for at-risk children. Forty percent would go toward local public school construction. Ten percent would go for college scholarships of up to $4,000 annually for students in low-income families. The school construction funds would be allocated in the following way – 65% according to average daily membership (ADM) and 35% to counties that have property taxes that exceed the state average. Any “overage” in the expected annual lottery proceeds would be split evenly between scholarships and school construction.

Advertising of the lottery will initially be limited, with a cap of 1% or less of total proceeds, and ads could not target minors or specific groups, must include resources for responsible gaming, and must mention the odds of winning. I don’t anticipate the current advertising restrictions, already lifted in part in this year’s budget, lasting too long. Our surrounding states are already scheming about keeping their current North Carolina customers. The Lottery Commission will also be required to provide information to the public about gambling addiction and treatment and would have $1 million per year for such addiction education and treatment.

Once the lottery commission is appointed it is expected to take six to nine months before the first scratch-off tickets will be sold at retail stores in North Carolina. The commission will decide which kind of games will be offered. With the commission’s approval, the director can enter the North Carolina lottery into multi-state agreements such as Powerball or Mega Millions.

Background facts: North Carolina’s first neighboring state to adopt a lottery was Virginia, in 1987. Georgia came next in 1992, followed by South Carolina in 2001 and Tennessee in 2004. Nationwide, 41 states and the District of Columbia now operate lotteries, although they have consistently proven to be an unreliable and diminishing source of income.

Greetings From Raleigh 9-02-05

It has been another busy week in the North Carolina House with lengthy sessions since Monday. As a result of the long hours and late night sessions of the past two weeks, we finished work on many remaining issues and passed an adjournment resolution on Wednesday afternoon, which was expected to be the last vote of the session. With the Senate leaving Tuesday after approving a lottery bill, the General Assembly formally adjourned today.

My colleagues and I will return to Raleigh May 9, 2006 for the short session, but will continue to work in Raleigh during the interim on study committees that will focus on numerous important issues and make recommendations for legislative action next Spring.

The House has stayed in session and completed work on numerous important bills despite the fact that the Senate left on Wednesday morning of last week and weren’t expected to return except to adjourn. However, the Senate reversed course at the end of last week and decided to come back to Raleigh on Tuesday to complete work on several bills that had already pass the House – the most important being the lottery.

The House also completed work on the Meth Lab Prevention Act, which would increase regulation of certain cold medicines that are used in the making of the highly destructive and illegal drug. And, we passed the usual end of session bills such as an adjournment resolution, the technical corrections bill, which makes changes or clarifications to previously passed legislation, and the studies bill, which lists potential committees that will meet during the interim before the start of next year’s session. The House was hopeful that the Senate would take up these important bills before adjourning, but it now appears that Senators will put off the work until next May.

My colleagues and I have worked together during this year’s long session to protect the priorities and values that will help Guilford County and all of North Carolina grow and prosper for years to come. I’m extremely proud of the many accomplishments and progress that we have made on numerous important issues in recent months, which I will discuss further in upcoming email updates. Stay tuned for my recap of this year’s session and highlights of legislation that will impact your life and your community…

As I’ve said many times before, I hope you will continue to let me know how you feel about the issues that are being debated by the North Carolina Legislature and the challenges you and your family are facing each day.
It continues to be an honor and a pleasure to serve you in Raleigh.

Cheers

Pricey

In Other News...(8-26-05)

Historic Joint Session Names New State Superintendent
A historic joint session of the State House and Senate gave Democrat June Atkinson the title of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Lawmakers voted 93-21 to select Atkinson. Despite Atkinson’s lead of 8,535 votes out of more than 3.3 million ballots cast in last November’s election, legal challenges from her Republican opponent kept the state without a schools chief for nine months. The state constitution directs that contested statewide races be finalized “by joint ballot of both houses of the General Assembly in the manner prescribed by law”; however, the law that governed such voting was inadvertently deleted from state statute in 1971 and had to be clarified by legislation passed earlier this year. The General Assembly had not selected a winner for statewide office since North Carolina law was changed in 1835 to allow citizens to directly elect a governor. Atkinson was immediately sworn into office, bringing to an end the last undecided statewide or federal race in the nation following last year’s election.


Unfinished Business: House wants Senate to take action before adjourning
House members are hopeful that the Senate will vote on several bills already approved in their chamber including: the establishment of an innocence commission (HB 1323), which would create an independent panel to review the innocence claims of convicted felons; DWI task force recommendations (HB 1048), which would improve enforcement and conviction rates of DWIs in North Carolina; an increase in the state’s minimum wage from $5.15 to $6 per hour; and a tax credit for small businesses that provide health care insurance for employees (HB 20); the Gang Violence Prevention Act (HB 50).

Legislative Update From This Week(8-26-05)

The House considered and approved more than 200 bills this week as we near the end of the 2005 legislative session. Following is a quick snapshot of some of the bills that were approved by the House in the last several days:

Lobbying Reform – SB 612: The Legislature gave final approval early Wednesday to a rewrite of state lobbying rules that requires more disclosure of expenses and expands regulations to cover spending on top executive branch officials. The compromise of competing House and Senate bills largely follows the House version, which requires lobbyists and their principals to report any expenditure above $10 whereas the Senate bill simply capped spending at $100 per year. Under the approved proposal, legislative lobbyists, including those who lobby for state agencies, would have to file monthly reports while the General Assembly is in session starting in 2007 and quarterly otherwise. Only lobbyists at the General Assembly file now, and they do so twice a year. The measure eliminates a long-standing “goodwill” loophole that allows lobbyists to treat legislators to unlimited meals and entertainment as long as no specific legislation is discussed. Lawmakers or executive branch officials such as the governor, Council of State members, and department secretaries who leave office would have to wait six months before returning to lobby the Legislature or the executive branch, thereby addressing the “revolving door” issue.


Gang Violence Prevention Act – HB 50: The House approved legislation that seeks to prevent gang violence through preventative measures and increased criminal penalties for people who participate or abet gang activity.
A person who organizes or leads a gang can receive an additional 10 years in prison for their crimes. The Governor’s Crime Commission recently identified 387 gangs operating in the state with 8,517 members - a 65 percent increase over four years ago. North Carolina led in the numbers of people arrested in a national roundup of gang members earlier this month. The bill was based on recommendations made by the House Select Committee on Gang Violence Prevention, which met prior to the start of this year’s session. The state budget approved two weeks ago included $2 million in gang-prevention grants that will be awarded to community programs. The bill has been sent to the Senate, but further action may be delayed until the start of next year’s short session in May, 2006.


Identity Theft – SB 1048: The House gave final approval to legislation that seeks to better protect customers’ personal information by restricting the sale and display of Social Security numbers and forcing companies to properly destroy information when they throw it away. The bill would also allow consumers to “freeze” their credit with the national credit bureaus, which would then forbid any credit inquiries and prevent potential thieves from opening accounts or applying for loans in other people’s names. Once a freeze is requested, consumers receive an identification number that allows only them to “thaw” their credit when they want to buy a car, apply for a credit card account, or seek a loan. Such freezes are being considered or have passed in 25 states. The Senate unanimously approved a version Tuesday that was modified in the House to clarify guidelines for bringing an identity theft lawsuit. The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Easley for his signature. At least 286,000 North Carolina residents are victims of identity theft each year. A typical identity theft victim spends $800 and 175 hours over a nearly two-year period to repair credit and erase fraudulent charges, according to the office of Attorney General Roy Cooper.


Hit & Run Law – HB 217: The General Assembly gave final approval on Monday to my bill making it a crime if a driver and a passenger switch places after a car accident and flee the scene. The measure, sent to Gov. Mike Easley for his signature, was in response to the traffic death of Tar Heel Sports Network commentator Stephen Gates, in October 2003. Mr. Gates was struck and killed by an approaching car on an interstate ramp in Orange County while he examined a flat tire. A woman driving the SUV stopped, but a male passenger took the wheel and drove away, authorities said. The woman pleaded guilty to failing to report a traffic accident, a misdemeanor. The man was acquitted of a more serious hit-and-run charge. Mr. Gates’ parents and I have been working on for the bill since November, with the Gates making some three dozen trips from Greensboro to Raleigh.


Addressing Teacher Shortage – HB 706: The General Assembly gave unanimous final approval on Monday to a bill that would give local school districts more say in the hiring out-of-state teachers. School districts face an annual statewide teacher shortage in the thousands, largely because of retirements and enrollment growth. The measure would designate any out-of-state schoolteachers as “highly qualified” under the definition of the federal No Child Left Behind Act if they were labeled as such in their state. The North Carolina Association of Educators and Governor Easley have expressed concerns regarding the measure. The bill now awaits the Governor’s signature or veto.


Healthier School Food – HB 855: Lower fat and sugar in school diets is the mandate for the State Board of Education in a bill given final legislative approval. The bill sent to Gov. Mike Easley seeks to establish nutrition standards in schools by gradually increasing the amount of healthy foods available for students to eat. The nutrition standards would promote gradual changes to increase fruits and vegetables, increase whole grain products, and decrease foods high in fat and sugar. The standards, which would be implemented by the end of the 2007-08 school year in elementary schools, would then be extended to middle schools and high schools.


Homeowner’s Associations – HB 1541: The more than 13,000 homeowner’s associations in North Carolina would be barred from foreclosing on a homeowner for violating community rules or solely for attorney fees in legislation given final approval on Tuesday; however, associations still could place liens on property if someone fails to pay dues. The measure would reduce the maximum fines assessed by associations from $150 a day to $100 a day, as well as cap late fees for association dues unless rules state otherwise. Associations could not restrict or ban the flying of U.S. and North Carolina flags up to 4 feet wide and 6 feet long unless property documents prominently state the rules. The bill also would require associations to let members speak at board meetings and allow homeowners to review association finances and minutes.


Worker’s Comp – HB 99: The General Assembly has agreed to a compromise proposal between industry lobbyists and advocates for injured workers, which would make some technical changes to our state’s workers’ compensation law. The original measure generated lots of discussion and disagreement during the last several months; however, the ultimate bill which was passed by legislators deferred most of the controversial issues – including the length and coverage of wage and medical payments, whether compensation rates for injuries should be adjusted for inflation and compensation for workers exposed to asbestos – to a study commission that is to report back the General Assembly next spring.


Rachel’s law – SB 486: Lawmakers approved stiffer penalties for anyone who fires a gun into an occupied car or home in a bill given final legislative approval on Monday night. The bill would make firing a gun into an occupied building or traveling vehicle a felony punishable from roughly three years to 15 years in prison. Existing law makes the maximum term for the crime about six years. The punishment could reach as high as 17 ½ years if the shooting causes serious injury. The bill is titled “Rachel's Law,” named after Rachel Sanchez, a 5-year-old girl shot in the head while traveling on Interstate 40 in Catawba County in 2003. A teenager confessed to firing the weapon at the car; Rachel is recovering. The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Easley.


Fishing license laws revamped – SB 1126: After a year of negotiations, the legislature has overhauled a coastal recreational fishing license law that was approved last year but had not taken effect. North Carolina has been the only state on the Southeast coast without a recreational license. Along with the permit for coastal anglers, the update would create a unified permit for someone to fish in all public waters. Freshwater and commercial saltwater fishermen already must get licenses. The compromise, however, removes a longtime license exemption for freshwater fishermen who use natural bait in their home county (this exemption had been problematic for the Wildlife Resources Commission). The changes, which would take effect in early 2007, retain optional licenses for pier owners and charter boats that would cover anyone fishing from piers or on charter boats. The annual coastal license would cost $15 a year for residents and $5 for short-term permits. The new unified permit would cost $35 and would increase to $55 if the permit applicant also wanted to hunt. A lifetime license is slightly higher. Children under 16 would be exempt and poor anglers could get free licenses. People fishing in ponds on private property would not need a license.


Incentives to get timely public airing – HB 393: The public will have access to information about government tax-incentive business deals within 25 business days of the arrangements’ announcement. The bill applies to local and state agencies, but is aimed mainly at the state Commerce Department, which has taken months to provide documents about incentive deals. The bill was in response to a lawsuit filed by the North Carolina Press Association and another group against the state Commerce Department, claiming the agency delayed releasing details on incentives packages for computer maker Dell Inc., pharmaceutical giant Merck, and airline manufacturer Boeing. The new law would require agencies to make their records of deals available for public inspection and copying within five weeks of the announcement. Government agencies also would have to report each year on the business incentives they administer.


Historic Mill Rehabilitation Tax Credit – HB 474: The House approved legislation on Tuesday that will provide tax credits for businesses that renovate historic textile mills. Supporters of the bill said there are approximately 30-35 such mills across the state. Virginia and South Carolina have recently enacted similar legislation. Supporters of the bill highlighted the fact that North Carolina has lost more than 164,000 jobs in the textile industry during the past decade and a large number of manufacturing jobs in other industries such as tobacco and furniture, which have resulted in the vacancy of numerous mill buildings, many of which are historic. Several legislators from the Triad said that large vacant mills in their districts can be an enormous eye sore in a community if it remains vacant and unused, resulting in the deterioration of surrounding neighborhoods and commercial districts, crime, vandalism, vagrancy, arson, and a loss of community spirit; however, an old factory or mill can have significant environmental, economic development, cultural, tourism, tax base, and affordable housing benefits for a community if renovated for new uses.


Tax Credits for North Carolina Businesses – HB 105: NASCAR teams and passenger airlines would get refunds on the sales tax they pay on aviation fuel in a measure given final approval Wednesday at the General Assembly. Both industries are major employers in North Carolina and have an enormous economic impact on our economy.


Local vote for education spending – HB 1050, HB 746, HB 947: The House considered several bills this week, which would allow voters in 48 counties across the state the opportunity to vote for a half-cent increase in the sales tax to pay for new schools. Supporters argue that the counties need to raise money to replace classroom trailers with permanent buildings and stressed the importance of giving local officials another tool to pay for rising education costs, but pointed out that the local voters would have the ultimate say on the idea. Other sources of revenue have become inadequate.

HB 1050 and HB 746 would allow a ballot referendum in Pitt, Martin, Davie, Buncombe, Chatham, Anson, Union, Vance, Franklin, Lee, Duplin, Surry, Cumberland, and Davidson Counties to pay for public school and community college construction. The bill was given final approval by the House on Thursday.

HB 876 would allow Haywood County commissioners to raise the sales tax by an extra half-cent to pay for capital improvements at the local community college if approved by voters. Commissioners could not authorize the increase unless local voters approve the idea in a referendum. The bill was given final approval by the House on Wednesday morning.
HB 947 would allow another 31 counties the option to raise their sales taxes by an extra half-cent to spend on public school and community college construction in a bill that cleared the House Finance Committee on Wednesday afternoon and given initial approval by the full House on Thursday. The House is expected to complete debate on the measure early next week. (NOTE: The bill originally included 32 counties, but Forsyth County was removed during debate on Thursday.)
However, even if the measures pass the House, they would have to be considered by the Senate, whose leaders have said they do not plan to take up any more work this year except to set a new adjournment date for the session

Smoking ban inside prisons – SB 1130: Smoking inside state prison buildings would end under a bill given final legislative approval Tuesday. Supporters said the goal was to reduce health problems associated with secondhand smoke. The House earlier this month passed a version that exempted Correction Department employees and inmates' visitors, but voted 70-43 Tuesday on a broader version sought by the Senate that bans indoor smoking at all of the state's 76 prisons. Inmate health care cost $138 million for the fiscal year that ended June 30, not including dental and mental health services. The Senate passed the measure 40-1 Tuesday night. The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Easley for his signature.


Regulation of Genetically Altered Plants – H671, Dewey Hill (Columbus-D). This bill, initiated by the biotech industry, would eliminate local authority to impose restrictions on genetically modified (GM) crops. A Senate committee substitute passed two weeks ago also sets up a legislative commission to study the issue of GM crops in NC and adds an organic farmer and a consumer advocate to the Board of Agriculture. On the House floor, at the request of bill sponsor Rep. Hill, the House voted (113-0) to not concur with the Senate version, sending the bill to conference committee. Conference chairs are Rep. Dewey Hill (Columbus-D) and Sen. Charlie Albertson (Duplin-D), and conferees are Rep. Joe Tolson (Edgecombe-D), Rep. Arthur Williams (Beaufort-D), Sen. Janet Cowell (Wake-D), Sen. Clark Jenkins (Edgecombe-D), and Sen. Stan Bingham (Davidson-R). The bill appears unlikely to emerge from conference in this session, but the conference could meet when the legislature returns for the short session in May 2006.

Improve Environmental Enforcement – H1283, Bill Culpepper (Chowan-D). This bill raises penalties for serious violations of several environmental statutes, allows DENR to recover investigative costs, and authorizes DENR to allow violators to take educational courses or perform community service rather than paying fines if they would prefer. A controversial provision authorizing DENR to undertake a pilot program to retain actual costs of collection rather than the 10% they currently retain was removed in House Rules on August 22. The bill ran into trouble on the House floor. To the pleasure of the agency’s harshest legislative critics, the bill failed, 46 to 68, on second reading. For advocates wanting a sense of the distribution of environmental attitudes in the NC House, this is a revealing vote.

Disposal in Landfills/Additional Bans – H1465, Joe Hackney (Orange-D). As passed by the House this bill would have banned wood pallets, plastic containers, and used motor oil filters from disposal. In the Senate two weeks ago two amendments on the floor had added oyster shells to the list of banned items, and gutted the ban on disposal of wood pallets by allowing them to still be disposed of in unlined construction waste landfills. The bill takes effect in October, 2009. (A provision inserted into the Technical Corrections bill (H413), which awaits House concurrence, would move the effective date for the oyster shell ban up to 2007.) The House voted to concur with both amendments and the bill has been sent to the Governor.

ABC Licensees to Recycle Beverage Containers – H1518, Joe Hackney (Orange-D). This bill requires Alcohol Beverage Control permit holders (bars and restaurants) to recycle all beverage containers sold on premises, and bans the landfilling or incineration of beverage containers. A Senate substitute delayed the effective date one year, to 2008. On August 22, the House voted to concur (107-7) and the bill has been sent to the Governor.


Manufacturing Redevelopment Districts – S629, John Snow (Cherokee-D). This bill releases DuPont from liability for toxic contamination on a manufacturing site in the middle of DuPont State Forest, in exchange for transferring title to a new company, Ilford/Oji, to re-open the plant and clean up the contamination, and in the end, give the land to the State. The Governor has been negotiating this deal with Ilford/Oji, and at the beginning on August the Senate adopted the conference report, but Ilford/Oji had pulled out of the deal days before. This week, however, the conference report reappeared in the House and the House voted to concur on August 22 by a vote of 111-4 (dissenting: me, Paul Luebke (Durham-D), Jennifer Weiss (Wake-D), John Rhodes (Mecklenburg-R).


Energy Credit Banking/Selling Program/Fund – S1149, Clark Jenkins (Edgecombe-D) (I sponsored the companion in the House). The Federal Energy Policy Act (EPAct) issues credits to State agencies for use of alternative fuel vehicles. This bill allows the State Energy Office to bank and sell these credits and use the money to support further alternative fuel programs in the state. A Senate floor amendment on August 12 added the extension of the renewable energy tax credits from H1715, Renewable Energy Tax Credits, Paul Luebke (Durham-D) to the bill. The bill was sent to House Finance, where, on August 23, the bill received a unanimous favorable report with no discussion. The House approved the bill early this morning, 63 – 19 on second reading, and passed third reading on a voice vote and has been sent to the Governor.


No Local Regulation of Forestry / Agriculture – S681, David Hoyle (Gaston-D). This bill blocks local governments from regulating most forestry activities by prohibiting local ordinances from regulating timber harvesting and transport, including setbacks to protect water quality, restrictions on pesticide spraying, and weight limits on city roads. While the bill does not ban local ordinances as applied to development, it draws a blurry line between bona fide timber operations and development, and makes it easy for developers to escape any serious penalty for masquerading as forestry operations by clearing "in anticipation of development approval" - well before beginning the permitting process. The original bill allowed local governments to withhold building permits for up to five years if a developer violated a local ordinance; on the Senate floor, the sponsor amended this to an insignificant two years. In House Environment on August 9th, the penalty was raised to a milquetoast three years, and five years for "willful" violations, though "willfulness" would be very difficult to prove. On the House floor August 22, I offered an amendment to return the penalty to five years; it failed (24-91). The bill passed the House (99-16) and the Senate voted to concur on August 23. The bill has been sent to the Governor.

NC Lottery Still One Vote Short Of Passing

After another week of negotiations and vote counting, the Senate still appears to be one vote short of passing a lottery bill with 24 Democratic yes votes and 26 no votes, which include all 21 Senate Republicans and 5 Democrats. However, supporters are still hopeful that the lottery can be passed soon so that the issue isn’t put off until next May when legislators return to Raleigh. The House passed a lottery bill in April, and the state budget passed two weeks ago made changes to the way future lottery proceeds could be spent on early childhood education, school construction, and college scholarships.

Supporters and education groups across the state are trying to find at least one additional senator who will vote for the lottery and have been lobbying them hard. Some parliamentary maneuvering late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning nearly resulted in a lottery vote when Sen. Garwood (R-Wilkes) was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, leaving the chamber potentially tied, with the Lieutenant Governor poised to break the tie. Sen. Basnight thought better of it, and should be commended for such. Senators who are being targeted are: Martin Nesbitt (D-Buncombe), Janet Cowell (D-Wake), Dan Clodfelter (D-Mecklenburg), Charlie Albertson (D-Duplin), Ellie Kinnaird (D-Orange), Harry Brown (R-Onslow), John Garwood (R-Wilkes) and Richard Stevens (R-Wake).

Greetings From Raleigh 8-26-05

Members of the House of Representatives worked many long hours and got very little sleep this week as we sought to wrap up this year’s legislative session, which began in late January. Lawmakers came back to Raleigh on Monday afternoon and worked past midnight, started back at 8:30 Tuesday morning and worked non-stop through the day and night until shortly after 4 am early Wednesday morning when we recessed for several hours before starting back at 2 pm for four more hours of work and meetings. House members were back at work on Thursday morning for session.

The House leadership said all week that it wanted to finish the remaining work as soon as possible, but would devote the necessary time needed for adequate debate and votes on such important issues as identity theft protections, preventing and punishing gang violence activity, our state’s hit and run law, tax credits for renewable energy sources and historic mill rehabilitation, and lobbying reform.

The House is expected to give final approval next week to legislation that seeks to reduce meth labs across the state by increased regulation of cold medicines, which are used to make the illegal and highly addictive drug, and increasing criminal penalties. Legislators must also complete work on the usual end of session bills such as the adjournment resolution, the technical corrections bill, which makes changes or clarifications to previously passed legislation, and the studies bill, which lists potential committees that will meet during the interim before the start of next year’s session.

The House will be back in session on Monday night at 7 pm as we try to finalize the remaining bills before adjourning for the year.
As I’ve said many times before, I hope you will continue to let me know how you feel about the issues that are being debated by the North Carolina Legislature and the challenges you and your family are facing each day.

It continues to be an honor and a privilege to represent you in Raleigh.

Cheers

Pricey

Post Note: Pieces posted for 8/26/05 were posted late due to Jay was away on vacation. Sorry for the delay.

Miscellaneous 08-19-05

Several of my bills were before the Senate last week. HB 217, Stephen’s Law, was approved by the Senate last week and will be before the House on Monday. The bill was amended in conference to limit liability for hit and run charges only to drivers and passengers who become drivers. The bill had been bogged down with concerns about other passengers being held responsible for hit and run, when a passenger might not have any control over a decision to flee the scene of an accident. The bill makes it quite clear that criminal liability is limited to drivers and passengers who become drivers.
I also sponsored a bill that would make North Carolina’s lemon law more consumer friendly (HB 1295). This bill was approved by the Senate last week and is on its way to the governor for signature.
HB 1398, which would provide for the automatic opportunity to expunge one’s criminal record upon receipt of a pardon of innocence, was also approved by the Senate last week and is on its way to the Governor as well.

UNC System To Study Tuition

Following discussion by the State Senate over the last few months on the issue of giving UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State greater authority to set their own tuition rates, the University of North Carolina system has announced a new effort to study the financial needs of its 16 campuses and recommend changes in tuition policy.
Brad Wilson, Chair of the UNC Board of Governors, appointed a task force and asked the group to make recommendations by October. The group will take a look at all campuses, Wilson said, but will focus on the “unique complexities that a shrinking resource base poses for UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State.”
The move Thursday was a direct response to a Senate budget proposal to give the system’s two primary research campuses broader authority to raise tuition without going through the Board of Governors. The idea, pushed by Senate leader Marc Basnight and a political action committee of prominent UNC-CH supporters, created a fierce outcry from system advocates, former UNC presidents and four former governors, who warned that the move could undermine and weaken the state’s 16-campus public university system. The proposal died when it encountered strong opposition in the House, and therefore was not included in the final budget agreement, which was passed this week by the legislature.

Legislature To Hold Joint Session On Superintendent Race

House Speaker Jim Black has said that the Legislature will hold a special joint session on Tuesday, August 23, 2005, to determine who should lead the state’s education department. Last November’s race between Democrat June Atkinson and Republican Bill Fletcher for the State’s Superintendent of Public Instruction is the only remaining undecided race in the nation for a statewide or federal post. Atkinson leads Fletcher by 8,535 votes out of more than 3.3 million ballots cast last fall, but Fletcher has challenged the legality of thousands of ballots, which has further delayed a final decision. The state constitution gives the Legislature authority to decide such contested elections, so the House and Senate will meet in a rare joint session to hear from the Joint Contested Elections Committee before making a final decision on the winner. The 10-member, bi-partisan joint legislative committee recommended that the victory go to Atkinson earlier this week in its final meeting.

Vaccine Saftey

The House Health Committee approved a bill last week that would restrict the use of vaccines that contain a mercury-based preservative. The measure also would prohibit administering flu vaccines containing thimerosal to children ages 6 months to 35 months and pregnant women. Thimerosal is currently at the center of a nationwide debate concerning the safety and possible side effects of such vaccines. Parents of some autistic children and some researchers argue that vaccinations that contain thimerosal are the cause of developmental disabilities in children. State officials and some doctors have argued that no conclusive evidence that exposure to thimerosal is harmful. The bill now goes to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration.

Car Registrations And Fees

The General Assembly has given final approval to a bill that would allow automobile owners to pay their property taxes and the license tax renewal fee at the same time. The legislation, House Bill 1779, now goes to the Governor for his signature. The measure will help cities, counties, and fire districts collect approximately $80 million a year in taxes that usually go unpaid. The bill instructs the Division of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Revenue to upgrade computer programs so that the work can be completed jointly. The change will not take effect until 2009. Currently there is a months-long lag between the tag renewal and the property tax bill.

The bill sponsor, Rep. Dale Folwell (R-Forsyth), said that the bill should save cities and counties $8 million a year in postage by reducing the number of past-due notices that are mailed. Gloria Whisenhunt, the chairwoman of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, told the House Finance Committee that one-third of auto owners across the state do not pay their vehicle property taxes on time. Another person stated that tax collectors statewide collect 86 percent of the property taxes due on cars.

New ATV Regulations Approved To Keep Kids Safe

The General Assembly has given its final approval to new minimum age requirements for operating all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), which would keep children under 8 from driving the popular four-wheelers. The House approved the compromise measure late last week and the Senate voted 32-15 in favor of the bill that would remove North Carolina from a handful of states with virtually no operating restrictions for ATVs. The bill, SB 189, now goes to Gov. Mike Easley to be signed into law. The new rules would bar children under 8 from operating an ATV, while children ages 8 to 15 would be limited to driving models with engines of less than 90 cubic centimeters. Most ATV drivers also would have to complete a safety course and follow equipment and driving standards. There would be some exceptions for certain individuals, including hunters and farmers. Children born on or before Aug. 15, 1997, would still be able to operate larger vehicles if a parent can prove they or a guardian owned the ATV before Aug. 15 of this year. The provision is meant to guarantee that families who already have purchased ATVs are not penalized.

North Carolina ranked 10th nationally with 189 ATV-related deaths from 1982-2002, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The number of children under 16 who died in ATV-related accidents in our state doubled from five in 1999 to 11 last year. Supporters of the bill cite statistics showing that of 157 ATV deaths in the state between 1999 and 2004, 43 involved children under 16 and 22 involved children under 12. There have been several accidents across the state this year where children were killed or seriously injured.

Increasing Voter Turnout & Confidence

The General Assembly has given final approval to legislation, which would let voters in Chapel Hill and Carrboro cast ballots at locations of their choosing. The legislation, Senate Bill 98, would create a pilot program through the 2006 elections in which “super precincts” would be created, likely in easily accessible areas that have plenty of parking. Voters at these locations could cast votes, either in early one-stop voting or on Election Day. Supporters say the idea could increase voter turnout by making voting more convenient for commuters and others, compared to standing in lines at local precincts near their homes.

The General Assembly also gave final approval on Thursday to Senate Bill 223 which will permit only three types of voting methods in North Carolina and also agreed on how to disburse government grants to help pay for machine upgrades. The measure, developed after Carteret County electronic voting machines lost 4,438 ballots in last November’s election, also requires state election officials to hand out more than $36 million in grants to meet new standards. During the 2006 elections, voting in North Carolina only will occur in the form of optical scan ballot machines, electronic recording machines or paper ballots counted by hand. Electronic machines will have to provide a paper copy of a voter’s ballot, which could be corrected by the voter before they are recorded. Counties only will be able to purchase machine brands that have been certified by the State Board of Elections.
The House amended the Senate edition by laying out a formula by which federal and state grant money will be given to all 100 counties to meet the standards. As many as 88 counties may have to buy or upgrade machines. Bill supporters say the amounts should be enough for most counties to purchase the least expensive optical scan machines. If they want to buy more expensive electronic machines, they’ll have to pay the difference.
The bill also will allow the State Board of Elections to experiment during the 2006 elections with alternatives to a paper record of a ballot. That may include audio playbacks of a voter's choice or a photographic image of an electronic ballot.
Elections officials also will perform sample hand recounts statewide and compare totals to ensure voting systems are accurate. The Carteret County mistake occurred when a vendor failed to change a setting on a group of electronic machines used in early voting. The lost ballots threatened to require election officials to call a new statewide election in the close agriculture commissioner’s race.

Open Records: Let The Sun Shine In

The State House voted unanimously to approve legislation that ensures government lawyers will not have to reveal all of their strategies before a trial, and allows the public to challenge the protection of the records under the provision. Senate Bill 856, which returns to the Senate for concurrence, also ensures that judges have discretion when deciding whether to award attorney's fees in such cases. Judges could consider whether the government agency had “substantial justification” to deny access to public records or that circumstances made the award of attorney’s fees “unjust.” Said Rep. Joe Hackney, D-Orange: “It creates a presumption in favor of the plaintiff in terms of getting attorney's fees instead of the other way around, which is the way it was before.”

The House also approved House Bill 393, which would require the N.C. Department of Commerce to release public records of its negotiations with companies within 25 days after a plant or project is announced. It would also require local governments to provide records once a specific location for a project is announced. “This is a good-government bill that will provide the information and sunshine that the public wants and deserves about economic-incentive programs in our state,” said Rep. Jennifer Weiss, D-Wake.

Lobbying Reform Advances In House

Late last week the House overwhelmingly approved legislation that would close a loophole that currently allows lobbyists to spend money on trips, meals and gifts for legislators without disclosing it as long as no specific legislation is discussed. House Majority Leader Joe Hackney (D-Orange), who introduced a lobbying reform bill in the House earlier this session (House Bill 6), offered a committee substitute to Senate Bill 612, which has already passed the Senate. The new version of the reform bill would require lobbyists and their principals to report any expenditure over $10. The disclosure reports would have to be filed monthly for legislative lobbyists while the General Assembly is in session and quarterly at other times. By a vote of 52-51, the House trimmed the time period that former lawmakers would have to wait before lobbying the legislative or executive branch of government until 60 days after they leave office instead of the proposed one year following the conclusion of the member’s term. The bill now returns to the Senate, which has already passed a lobbying bill that capped spending on individual legislators at $100 annually, but was less strict when it came to reporting and disclosure and included several broad exceptions, which could present additional problems in the future. Advocates for lobbying reform are encouraging the Senate to approve the stronger disclosure bill, which passed the House. The bill has been stalled by concerns raised by the Department of Commerce with regard to the bill’s impact on business recruitment efforts. Advocates are pushing hard for a resolution before the General Assembly adjourns.

The Innocence Commission

The House voted 80-23 in favor of legislation (House Bill 1323), which would establish an independent commission to review the innocence claims of convicted felons. A task force examining the state’s criminal justice system recommended the formation of the panel earlier this year. The task force was formed in part because of the murder case of Darryl Hunt, who spent 18 years in prison for the slaying of a Winston-Salem woman before DNA evidence exonerated him. If the measure is approved by the Senate and signed into law, the state Supreme Court chief justice and the chief judge of the state Appeals Court would choose the eight-member panel of the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission. The commission members would review claims and send the case on to a three-judge Superior Court panel if five of the eight members agreed. Charges would be dismissed if all three judges determine there “is clear and convincing evidence” that the defendant is innocent. A split decision could be appealed to the Supreme Court. The bill is now before the Senate for consideration, although it appears unlikely that the chamber will get to the bill before the short session.

Health Care Tax Credit, Small Businesses/Increase In Minimum Wage

The House passed legislation that will provide a tax credit for small businesses that provide health insurance to employees and increase the state’s minimum wage. The legislation, HB 20, combined the two issues and the bill sponsors, Reps. Hugh Holliman (D-Davidson) and Alma Adams (D-Guilford) argued the bill would help our state’s workers and small business owners, while ensuring better access to health care for more North Carolinians.

First, the bill would provide a tax credit for small businesses that provide health insurance to employees, which business leaders have said is one of the biggest expenses that they continue to struggle to meet for their employees. Rep. Holliman said that we are all looking for ways to help our small businesses with less than 25 employees grow and prosper and this bill accomplishes this goal. The National Federal of Independent Businesses supports this tax credit, but opposes the combination bill. An amendment offered by Minority Leader Joe Kiser (R-Lincoln), which doubled the credit, was approved by the chamber.

Secondly, the bill would increase the state’s minimum wage to $6.00 per hour. The national minimum wage of $5.15 has not increased since 1997 and inflation has eroded 14 percent of its buying power since then, supporters argued. Fifteen states and Washington, D.C. now have minimum wages greater than $5.15, and Florida recently raised its minimum wage to $6.15, indexed to inflation, which resulted from a 2004 ballot initiative that was approved by 71 percent and passed in every county.

The 85-cent increase is a compromise on a previous bill, which originally sought to increase the wage to $8.50 by 2007, but in June, was scaled back to $6.15 over the next year. The N.C. Budget and Tax Center said that modest increases in the minimum wage would have minimal or no impact on employment in the state despite opponents’ claims stating otherwise.

There have been approximately 20 wage increases over the past 67 years and supporters argued with opponents of the bill and said no evidence exists that prove that an increase leads to lost jobs. According to the census bureau, there are approximately 101,000 North Carolinians (3% of our state’s total workforce) making minimum wage or approximately $10,700 per year, and roughly half are breadwinners of a family and do not receive other state assistance such as Medicaid to help with expenses. Of these workers, three-fourths are 20 years and older, which includes 51.8% who are over 25 years old.

On the Senate side, a committee agreed last week to raising the state’s minimum wage to $6 per hour, but in a different way. The Senate instead included the wage increase as part of a tax package that would also reduce corporate and income tax rates, raise the cigarette by another nickel a pack, rework personal income deductions, and not provide the tax credit for small businesses. The House does not support a tax cut for our state’s wealthiest individuals and corporations as the Senate is proposing at this time.

Greetings From Raleigh 8-19-05

Last week’s newsletter and blog post covered the budget, and this week’s will cover other substantive legislation which the House and Senate considered last week. It has been a light week this week because many legislators are at a national conference in Seattle, so there were no committee meetings or votes in the House. I took the time to work on some bills that are still pending and to propose some studies that may occur in the interim between the sessions.

The House will be back in session on Monday at 5 pm with 72 bills on the calendar.
As I’ve said many times before, I hope you will continue to let me know how you feel about the issues that are being debated by the North Carolina Legislature and the challenges you and your family are facing each day.

It continues to be an honor and a privilege to represent you in Raleigh.

Cheers

Pricey

Highlights Of The Spending Plan

* EDUCATION
The budget provides $9.48 billion for education, which is a 2.73% or $250 million increase over last year's education budget. The budget funds education at our state's K-12 schools, community colleges and universities, including additional funding to cover the more than 35,000 new students who will show up at our schools in a few weeks for the new school year. Legislators dedicated close to $80 million to address the on-going Leandro school funding lawsuit, which will provide additional funding to low wealth schools districts, disadvantaged students, high school reforms, school-based family support teams, and teacher recruitment. The budget includes $100 million for ABC bonuses for teachers, in addition to a pay raise of approximately 2.24%, and fully funds teacher assistant positions. More than $3.2 million is provided to expand Governor Mike Easley's "Learn and Earn" program, which allows students the opportunity to graduate with a high school diploma and a college degree after just five years of study. And, if the Senate passes the House lottery bill, funding from the proceeds would be invested in school construction, early childhood education, and college scholarships.

* HEALTH CARE
The budget provides more than $4 billion in funding for health care for children, folks who are blind, disabled or elderly, and restores many of the previously proposed cuts in the original Senate budget. Legislators provided funding to ensure 65,000 aged, blind and disabled North Carolinians and 30,000 children will continue to be covered by Medicaid. Children ages 0-5 currently covered by Health Choice will be moved to Medicaid, which will bring the total projected enrollment to approximately 200,000 children over the next three years. The North Carolina Senior Care prescription drug program, which currently covers 120,000 seniors, will receive $10 million. Approximately 3,200 additional children will be enrolled in the state's More at Four pre-kindergarten program. The budget also includes $10 million for the Mental Health Trust Fund and slightly more than $981,000 to hire new inspectors to ensure compliance with the new requirement that all group homes across the state must be inspected annually.

* TEACHERS & STATE EMPLOYEES SALARIES AND BENEFITS
Public school teachers will receive an average 2.24% salary increase. The budget also sets aside additional funding that could be used by the Governor, after consultation with the Legislature, to raise teacher salaries closer to the national average. Community college faculty and professional staff would receive an additional 2% pay raise. State employees will receive a pay raise of 2% or $850, whichever is greater, and an additional week of paid vacation. Legislators also raised the minimum wage requirement for all state employees to at least $20,112.

* ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
The budget makes numerous investments in job creation efforts and provides much-needed funding for programs that help attract new jobs to North Carolina, including: 1) $4.5 million in additional funds for the Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program, which since 2003 has helped create more than 10,000 new jobs and $1.9 billion in investment; 2) $6 million for the One North Carolina Fund, which since 2001 has helped create more than 17,000 new jobs and $2 billion in investment; and 3) $20 million for the North Carolina Rural Center, which has helped create thousands of new jobs in rural communities and update water systems.

The budget also includes $9 million for the Wilmington and Morehead City ports, $1 million in new funds for community college Small Business Centers, and $2.65 million for customized industry training, which will help employees and companies remain competitive in an ever-changing economy.

* JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
The budget provides more than $1.7 billion in funding for public safety programs including efforts to reduce gang violence, meth labs and internet/computer security crimes across our state, and additional funding for our state's SBI crime lab's ability to effectively process DNA evidence and keep track of the evidence in the state's DNA database.

* LOTTERY
The House approved a separate lottery bill in April, which must pass the Senate in order to create the numbers game in North Carolina. The budget made several changes to the way future lottery proceeds would be used to fund education programs in our state, including:
1. 5% of revenues off the top would be placed in the "Education Lottery Reserve Fund," which could be tapped if lottery profits do not meet expectations in a bad year. The reserve would be capped at $50 mi