North Carolina General Assembly Week in Review

January 28, 2011

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North Carolina General Assembly Week in Review

The 2011 North Carolina General Assembly session officially convened this week on Wednesday, January 26th.  An overwhelming theme of historical overtures ran among the wide array of media outlets and political pundits alike with Republicans taking control of the state Senate for the first time in 112 years and taking the House for the first time since the mid-90s.  Representative Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg) was officially elected and sworn in as the House Speaker and Senator Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) was officially elected and sworn in as the Senate President Pro Tem.

 
The budget is expected to remain the focus of this year’s session as new legislative leaders face a $3.7 billion state budget gap. Both chambers reiterated this week their pledges of addressing the budget deficit without raise taxes or extending the temporary taxes that were approved in 2009.
 
Rules & Deadlines Governing 2011 Session
 
The Senate passed their permanent rules, which created the position of parliamentarian, changed the requirements to suspend the rules to a 3/5 vote instead of a 2/3 vote and ended the practice of “pairing,” which allowed senators to vote without being present.
 
The House passed their temporary rules, that among other things limited House members to filing no more than 10 bills. Speaker Tillis indicated that the permanent rules would change several other long standing practices, such as prohibit bills being on the floor with long titles that prevent amendments.
 
Bill Filing Deadlines:
 
Senate
 
  • Filing Local Bills: March 9th
  • Filing Public Bills: March 23rd
  • Crossover Deadline: May 12th
 
House
  • Filing Study Bills: March 9th
  • Filing Agency Bills: March 16th
  • Filing Local Bills: March 30th
  • Filing Public Bills: April 6th
  • Filing Appropriation Bills: May 4th
  • Crossover Deadline: May 12th
 
 
House Committee Tackles Health Care Reform Overhaul
 
The first bill filed in the House after the chamber passed its organizing rules was legislation attacking provisions of the federal health care reform law that Congress passed last year. The state measure, H 2, would try to stop a requirement of the federal health care law that requires Americans to buy insurance beginning in 2014. H 2 also would attempt to block any penalty from being imposed on people who don’t buy health insurance. The bill was debated in, then passed by 23-16, the House Judiciary Committee on January 27th. The bill now heads to the House floor.  
 
Committee Assignments
 
Legislative leaders announced the standing committee assignments on Thursday, 1/27, which includes:
 
House
 
 
Election Law
  • Rep. Lewis, Chair; Reps. Burr, Current, Jones and Jordan, Vice Chairs; Reps. M. Alexander, Blust, L. Brown, R. Brown, Cotham, Dixon, Faircloth, Fisher, Floyd, Harrison, Iler, Insko, Justice, Killian, Martin, McLawhorn, Michaux, Mills, Mobley, T. Moore, Ross, Sager, Stam, Starnes, E. Warren and Weiss.
Environment
  • Reps. McElraft, Samuelson and West, Chairs; Reps. Gillespie and McGrady, Vice Chairs; Reps. K. Alexander, Brawley, Cook, Dixon, Gibson, Haire, Harrison, Hastings, Hill, Iler, Insko, Keever, LaRoque, Martin, McCormick, T. Moore, Owens, Sanderson, Spear, Starnes, Stone, Womble.
Ethics
  • Reps. Hackney and Howard, Chairs; Reps. Adams, Avila, Barnhart, Current, Farmer-Butterfield, Justice, Lucas, Michaux, Parmon, Rhyne, Ross and Setzer.
Finance
  • Rep. Howard, Senior Chair; Reps. Folwell, Setzer and Starnes, Chairs; Reps. Lewis, McComas, Wainwright, Vice Chairs; Reps. K. Alexander, Brandon, Brawley, Carney, Collins, Cotham, Faison, Gibson, Hackney, Hager, Hall, Hill, Jordan, Luebke, McCormick, McGee, Moffitt, T. Moore, Rhyne, Ross, Samuelson, Stam, Stone, H. Warren, Weiss and Womble.
Government
  • Reps. L. Brown and Ingle, Chairs; Reps. Boles, Langdon and H. Warren, Vice Chairs; Reps. Adams, M. Alexander, Barnhart, Bordsen, Brandon, R. Brown, Burr, Cleveland, Collins, Cotham, Fisher, Floyd, Folwell, Frye, Gill, Goodman, Guice, Hackney, Hurley, Jones, Justice, Keever, Luebke, McGee, Mills, Mobley, Moffitt, R. Moore, Parfitt, Parmon, Samuelson and Setzer.
Health and Human Services
  • Reps. Current, Dollar and Hollo, Chairs; Reps. Barnhart, R. Brown, Earle and McElraft, Vice Chairs; Reps. Brisson, Brubaker, Burr, Cotham, Crawford, Faircloth, Farmer-Butterfield, Howard, Hurley, Insko, Jackson, Lewis, Murry, Pierce, Randleman, Steen, Wainwright, Weiss and Wray.
Health and Human Services Subcommittee on Mental Health
  • Rep. Hurley, Chair; Reps. Burr and Cotham, Vice Chairs.
Homeland Security, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
  • Reps. Cleveland and Killian, Chairs; Reps. Blust, Martin and Torbett, Vice Chairs; Reps. Barnhart, Bell, Bradley, Earle, Floyd, Goodman, Hollo, Horn, Parfitt, Rapp, Sager, Sanderson and Wainwright.
Insurance
  • Rep. Dockham, Chair; Reps. Collins, McElraft and Setzer, Vice Chairs; Reps. Blust, L. Brown, Brubaker, Bryant, Burr, Crawford, Faison, Floyd, Folwell, Gibson, Glazier, Graham, Hamilton, Howard, Hurley, Insko, Jackson, Johnson, Mills, Murry, Pierce, Shepard, Steen, Stevens, Wainwright, H. Warren and Wray.
Judiciary
  • Rep. Daughtry, Chair; Reps. Burr, Guice, Mills, T. Moore, Randleman and Rhyne, Vice Chairs; Reps. M. Alexander, Blackwell, Blust, Bordsen, Bradley, R. Brown, Bryant, Crawford, Dixon, Faircloth, Faison, Glazier, Graham, Hackney, Haire, Hall, Harrison, Hilton, Howard, Ingle, Jackson, Jones, Jordan, Killian, Martin, McGrady, Michaux, Mobley, Pridgen, Ross, Stam, Stevens and Weiss.
Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil Law
  • Rep. Blust, Chair; Reps. M. Alexander, Blackwell, Crawford, Daughtry, Dixon, Faison, Hall, Jackson, Jordan, Killian, Mills, Randleman and Ross.
Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Law
  • Reps. Stam and Stevens, Chairs; Reps. Bordsen, Bryant, Burr, Faircloth, Glazier, Guice, Haire, Hilton, Ingle, Martin, McGrady and Michaux.
Judiciary Subcommittee on Family Law
  • Reps. T. Moore and Rhyne, Chairs; Reps. Bradley, R. Brown, Graham, Hackney, Harrison, Howard, Jones, Mobley, Pridgen and Weiss.
Public Utilities
  • Rep. Steen, Chair; Reps. Brubaker, Cook and Hager, Vice Chairs; Reps. K. Alexander, Blackwell, Brawley, Brisson, Collins, Dockham, Earle, Gill, Harrison, Hastings, Hilton, Hollo, Howard, Jeffus, Johnson, LaRoque, Lucas, Luebke, McComas, McLawhorn, T. Moore, Owens, Pierce, Pridgen, Samuelson, Setzer, Tolson, H. Warren, E. Warren, West, Womble and Wray.
Rules
  • Reps. LaRoque and T. Moore, Chairs; Reps. Owens, Rhyne, Vice Chairs; Reps. M. Alexander, R. Brown, Crawford, Daughtry, Faison, Farmer-Butterfield, Folwell, Gillespie, Hackney, Hill, Hilton, Jeffus, Johnson, Luebke, McComas, Parmon, Samuelson, Stam and Stone.
State Personnel
  • Rep. McGee, Chair; Reps. Dollar, Folwell, Hurley, Starnes and Wilkins, Vice Chairs; Reps. Avila, Bell, Boles, Bordsen, Cotham, Floyd, Guice, Keever, Langdon, Mobley, Moffitt, Pierce, Randleman, Stevens and Womble.
Transportation
  • Reps. Iler and Mills, Chairs; Reps. Carney, Frye and McGee, Vice Chairs; Reps. Avila, Barnhart, Boles, Brandon, Brisson, Cleveland, Crawford, Current, Daughtry, Dollar, Faircloth, Gill, Gillespie, Goodman, Graham, Hall, Hamilton, Ingle, Killian, Martin, McComas, McElraft, McGrady, Moffitt, R. Moore, Murry, Parfitt, Randleman, Rapp, Spear, Stone and Wilkins.
 
Senate
 
Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources
  • Sens. East and Rouzer, Chairs; Jackson, Vice Chair; Sens. Allran, Atwater, Bingham, Brock, Brown, Daniel, Hartsell, Jenkins, Kinnaird, Preston, Tillman, Tucker, Walters and White.
Appropriations/Base Budget
  • Sens. Brunstetter, Hunt and Stevens, Chairs; Sens. Apodaca and Garrou, Vice Chairs; Sens. Blake, Blue, Brock, Brown, Dannelly, East, Graham, Harrington, Hartsell, Jackson, Jones, Nesbitt, Pate, Rucho, Tucker and Walters.
Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources
  • Sens. East and Rouzer, Chairs; Sen. Jackson, Vice Chair; Sens. Atwater, Daniel, Kinnaird, Tucker and Walters.
Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
  • Sens. Apodaca, Preston and Tillman, Chairs; Sens. Dannelly, Garrou, Rucho, Soucek.
Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation
  • Sens. Forrester and Harrington, Chairs; Sen. Rabon, Vice Chair; Sens. Gunn, Jenkins and Vaughan.
Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services
  • Sens. Bingham, Blake and Pate, Chairs; Sen. Tucker, Vice Chair; Sens. Allran, D. Berger, Hartsell, Mansfield, Purcell and Rabon.
Appropriations Subcommittee on Justice and Public Safety
  • Sens. Brown and Goolsby, Chairs; Sens. Jones and Soucek, Vice Chairs; Sens. Clodfelter, East and Newton.
Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government
  • Sens. Brock and Davis, Chairs; Sens. Blue, Graham and Gunn.
Commerce
  • Sen. Brown, Chair; Sens. Apodaca, Gunn and Meredith, Vice Chairs; Sens. D. Berger, Blake, Blue, Brunstetter, Clary, Clodfelter, Davis, Garrou, Goolsby, Graham, Hise, Hunt, Jackson, McKissick, Nesbitt, Newton, Robinson, Rucho, Soucek, Stein, Stevens, Vaughan and White.
Education
  • Sens. Preston, Soucek and Tillman, Chairs; Sen. Apodaca, Vice Chair; Sens. Allran, Atwater, Brown, Dannelly, Daniel, Forrester, Garrou, Goolsby, Graham, Gunn, McKissick, Newton, Purcell, Robinson, Rucho, Stein, Stevens and White.
Finance
  • Sens. Hartsell and Rucho, Chairs; Sens. Apodaca, Harrington and Rabon, Vice Chairs; Sens. Blake, Brock, Brown, Brunstetter, Clary, Clodfelter, Dannelly, Daniel, Forrester, Garrou, Goolsby, Hunt, Jenkins, Kinnaird, McKissick, Meredith, Nesbitt, Newton, Purcell, Rouzer, Stein, Stevens, Tillman, Walters and White.
Health Care
  • Sens. Bingham, Blake and Pate, Chairs; Sen. Forrester, Vice Chair; Sens. Allran, Atwater, D. Berger, Clary, Kinnaird, Mansfield, Meredith, Purcell, Rabon, Robinson, Rouzer, Rucho and Tucker.
Insurance
  • Sens. Apodaca and Meredith, Chairs; Sens. Gunn and Hise, Vice Chairs; Sens. Members: Atwater, D. Berger, Clary, Davis, East, Garrou, Jackson, Newton, Rouzer, Rucho, Vaughan, Walters and White.
Judiciary I
  • Sen. Brunstetter, Chair; Sen. Goolsby, Vice Chair; Sens. Apodaca, Brock, Brown, Clodfelter, Harrington, Jenkins, Mansfield, Nesbitt, Pate, Rouzer, Rucho, Soucek, Stevens, Tillman and Walters.
Judiciary II
  • Sens. Allran, Daniel and Newton, Chairs; Sens. D. Berger, Bingham, Blue, Clary, Davis, East, Forrester, Hartsell, Jones, Stein, Tucker and Vaughan.
Mental Health and Youth Services
  • Sen. Hartsell, Chair; Sens. Allran and Tucker, Vice Chairs; Sens. Bingham, Davis, Daniel, Forrester, Jackson, Jones, Kinnaird, Nesbitt, Purcell and Robinson.
Pensions/Retirement /Aging
  • Sens. Apodaca and Hise, Chairs; Sen. Meredith, Vice Chair; Sens. Atwater, Brock, Dannelly, Davis, Garrou, Harrington, Jenkins, Pate, Preston, Rucho, Stevens and Walters.
Program Evaluation
  • Sen. Clary, Chair; Sens. Atwater, Bingham, Clodfelter, East, Gunn, Hise, Hunt, Mansfield, McKissick, Nesbitt, Pate, Preston, Purcell, Rouzer, Rabon, Tillman and White.
Redistricting
  • Sen. Rucho, Chair; Sens. Brock and Brown, Vice Chairs; Sens. Apodaca, Brunstetter, Clary, Dannelly, Forrester, Hise, Hunt, Jones, McKissick, Nesbitt, Rabon and Walters.
Rules
  • Sen. Apodaca, Chair; Sens. Brunstetter and Jackson, Vice Chairs; Sens. Blue, Brock, Brown, Garrou, Harrington, Hartsell, Kinnaird, Mansfield, Meredith, Nesbitt, Newton, Preston and Stein.
State and Local Government
  • Sens. Davis and Walters, Chairs; Sens. Bingham, Blake, East, Goolsby, Hartsell, Harrington, Jackson, Jones, Kinnaird, Nesbitt, Pate, Robinson, Stevens, Tucker and White.
Transportation
  • Sens. Forrester and Rabon, Chairs; Sen. Harrington, Vice Chair; Sens. Daniel, East, Graham, Hise, Hunt, Jackson, Jenkins, McKissick, Robinson, Soucek, Stevens, Tillman and Vaughan.
Ways and Means
  • Sen. Apodaca, Chair; Sen. Brock, Vice Chair; Sens. Dannelly, Forrester and Clodfelter.

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