Pardon Our Dust
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Member Announcements
On the last day of session last week, Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam (R-Wake), announced on the floor of the House that he would not seek re-election to his seat inthe NC House in 2016. Rep. Stam has served 8 terms in the NC House and is currently Speaker Pro Tempore.
This week, Rep. Brian Brown (R-Pitt) resigned from his seat in the NC House to become US Senator Thom Tillis’s (R-NC) eastern regional representative. Rep.Brown was in his second term as a House member.
Governor Signs Property Tax Bill
Last Friday, the Governor signed SB 159, Corrected Revaluations/Minimal Property Tax Refunds. The bill requires owners of record for corrected revaluationsto pay additional taxes. The bill also gives local governments the option to adopt by resolution a policy to not mail a refund of less than $15.00 inoverpayment of taxes to the taxpayer. The local government may apply the refund as a credit against the tax liability of the taxpayer for the followingyear, unless the taxpayer requests the refund in person at the local government tax office before the end of the fiscal year in which the refund is due.
After the General Assembly’s adjournment last Wednesday, the Governor has 30 days to act on a bill and is required to reconvene the General Assembly if abill is vetoed. There are several bills still, passed last week that are currently in front of Governor McCrory.
Read SB 159 here.
Program Evaluation Oversight Committee
The Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee met on Wednesday, October 7th. The committee heard presentations on unfunded actuarialliability and centralizing management of the State Employee Supplemental Insurance Benefits.
Mrs. Kiernan McGorty, NCGA Program Evaluation Oversight staff member, reported on the Unfunded Actuarial Liability. Mrs. McGorty reported that NC ranks 41 st in unfunded liability per state resident and noted six options to reduce the State’s unfunded liability. The committee accepted Mrs.McGorty’s report and directed staff to present recommended legislation to the committee.
- See brief Summary here.
- See Final Report here.
- See Executive Summary here.
- See Presentation here. See slides here.
Mr. Jeff Grimes reported on the management of the State Employee Supplemental Insurance Benefits. Mr. Grimes recommended centralizing the management of theState Employee Supplemental Insurance Benefits under one committee that would oversee the transition and implementation of the centralization. Thecommittee voted to defer action on the report to the committee’s next meeting.
- See brief Summary here.
- See Final Report here.
- See Executive Summary here.
- See Recommendations here.
- See Presentation here. See slides here.
The committee will meet again on October 21, 2015.
Week in Review: Spotlight Series
Over the next several weeks the Week in Review will feature a series of spotlights on specific topics, including Agriculture & Natural Resources,Children Youth and Families, Economic Development, Education, Finance, General/Local Government, Health and Human Services, and Transportation. Thespotlight will include an examination of legislation passed and presented during the 2015 “Long” Session, as well as a brief discussion of specificlegislation to watch for during the 2016 “Short” Session.
Eligible Crossover Bills
Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 721, Adjournment Resolution, passed by theGeneral Assembly last week, sets April 25, 2016 as the date the General Assembly will reconvene next year. The 2016 session is referred to as the “short”session because it does not begin until May. This past session, the 2015 session, is referred to as the “long” session, because it begins in January.
SJR 721 authorizes bills that made crossover, those bills that have passed third reading in the chamber the bill was introduced and were received in theother chamber, to be heard during the 2016 short session, unless the bill was tabled, given an unfavorable report, indefinitely postponed, or failed anyreading. Bills that are not subject to the crossover deadline that also may be considered during the 2016 “short” session include: appropriations bills,bills with any financial component, bills amending the NC constitution, bills recommending studies, bills with recommendations from commissions orcommittees, local bills, and bills vetoed and returned by the Governor.
Below please find a list of bills that successfully made the “crossover” deadline and are eligible for consideration during the 2016 “short” Session, perSJR 721. This is may not include other finance or appropriation bills that are also eligible for the 2016 “short” session.
Agriculture & Natural Resources
- H378, Amend Criteria/Certain Ag. Cost-Share Pgms.
Senate Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources - H456, Clarify Weight Limits/Ag. Vehicles
Senate Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources
Children, Youth and Families
- H12, Amend Gaston Foster Care Ombudsman Prog.
Senate Rules - H298=S488, Amend Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
Senate Rules - H407=S423, Foster Care Family Act
Senate Rules - H408, Adoption/Post-Adoption Services Study Comm.
Senate Rules - H817, Enact Uniform law on Adult Guardianship
Senate Rules - H896, Forcible Entry Into Car/Child Trapped Inside
Senate Rules - S343, Student Assault on Teacher/Felony Offense
House Children, Youth, and Families - S368, DOD-Certified Child Care & State Subsidy
House Appropriations - S652, Prohibit Re-Homing of an Adopted Minor Child
House Judiciary III
Economic Development & Taxes
- H152=S287, New Historic Preservation Tax Credit
Senate Ways & Means
- H302, Strengthen Oyster Industry
Senate Rules - H780, Study/Economic Impact of Jones Act on NC
Senate Rules - S326, Increase JDIG Program Funding
House Finance - S327, Allow Prize-Linked Savings Accounts
House Commerce and Job Development
Education
K-12
- H29, Technical Changes to Courses of Study Statute
Senate Rules - H35, Education Innovation Task Force
Senate Rules - H138, Arts Education Requirement
Senate Rules - H164, School Calendar Flexibility
Senate Ways & Means - H216, Great Leaders for Great Schools/Study
Senate Rules - H238, Duty-Free Time/Lunch for Teachers
Senate Rules - H248, Eliminate NC Final Exam
Senate Rules - H380, Statewide School Safety Management
Senate Rules - H439=S530, Competency-Based Assessments
Senate Rules - H474, Healthy Out-of-School Recognition Program
Senate Rules - H539, Charter School Funding
House Rules (On Concurrence) - H559, Testing Feedback for Students/Teachers
Senate Rules - H561, School System Auth. Re: Legal Proceedings
Conference Committee Appointed - H581, Computer Coding Course Elective
Senate Rules - H632=S534, Study Student Online Data Privacy
Senate Rules - H660, Transition to Personalized Digital Learning
Senate Rules - H661, Teacher Recruitment and Scholarships,
Senate Ways & Means - H687, Public Schools/Testing Schedule
Senate Ways & Means - H673, Modify Read to Achieve
Senate Ways & Means - H687, Public Schools/Testing Schedule
Senate Ways & Means - H803, School Performance Scores
Senate Ways & Means - H902, Transforming Principal Preparation
Senate Rules - S95, Performance-Based RIF/School Policy
House Rules - S176=H181, Charter School Grade Level Expansion
House K-12 - S211, Damages for Late Payment of Monies/Charters
House Judiciary I - S330, Changer Orders on School Construction Projects
House Local Government - S456, Charter School Modifications
House Appropriations - S503, Sex Offense With Student/Charter Schools
House Judiciary III - S561, Funds for Special Education Scholarships
Senate Rules (On Concurrence)
Community Colleges
- H244, Community Corr./Interstate Compact/Fund-AB
Senate Judiciary I - H754, Community College Remediation Pilot Project
Senate Rules - H860, Limit Soldiers’ CC Tuition
Senate Rules
Universities
- H162, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Education/Students
Senate Education/Higher Education - H657, Study UNC-Fixed Tuition
Senate Rules - H884=H323, Reinstate Setoff Debt Collection/UNC Health
Senate Finance - S536, Students Know Before You Go
House Education-Universities
Environment
- H332=S628, Energy Policy Amendments
Senate Finance - H571, Implement Clean Power Plan
House Rules (On Concurrence) - H593, Amend Environmental Laws-3
Senate Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources - H630, Alternative WQ Protection for Falls Lake
Senate Rules - H708, Preservation of Historic/Heritage Trees
Senate Ways & means - H763, Task Force on Regulatory Reform
Senate Rules - H777, Exempt Isolation Float Tanks from Pool Laws
Senate Judiciary I - S303, Protect Safety/Well-Being of NC Citizens
House Rules
Finance
- H81, Expand 1%/$80 Rate for Mill Machinery
Senate Finance - H106, Amend Banking Commission Membership
Senate Commerce - H151, Property Insurance Rate-Making Reform
Senate Rules - H496=S428, Surcharge Transparency
Senate Insurance - H809=S582, Third-Party Premium Payments
Senate Insurance - S19=H41, Revenue Laws Technical Changes
House Finance - S120=H196, DOI License Processing Fees
House Judiciary IV
General/Local Government
- H3, Eminent Domain
Senate Rules - H43=S8, Winston-Salem/Parking Meters
Senate Rules - H56=S6, State Health Plan/Rehired Retiree Eligibility
Senate Insurance - H74, Study MPO/RPO Oversight
Senate Rules - H108, Site and Building Development Fund
Senate Rules - H111, Stanly Co. Bd. Of Ed. Recall
Senate Rules - H122, Add Counties/Towns/Cities-State Health Plan
Senate Insurance Committee - H141, Stormwater/Flood Control Activities
Senate Rules - H156=S129, Legal Notice/Require Internet Publication
Senate Rules - H161, Adopt State Cat
Senate Rules - H196=S120, DOI License Processing Fee
Senate Rules - H283=S161, Supreme Court Sessions in Morganton
Senate Judiciary I - H311, ABC Store Election/Town of Leland
Senate Rules - H345, Currituck County/Remove Abandoned Vessels
Senate Local Government - H349, Develop Broadband Connectivity Plan
Senate Rules - H370, Certain Local Govts in State Health Plan
Senate Pensions & Retirement and Aging - H392, Fayetteville Charter/PWC Changes
Senate Judiciary I - H388, Dare County Local Option Sales Tax
Senate Rules - H401, Authorize Data Sharing for NCLDS
Senate Information Technology - H402, Study Municipal Elections in Even Years
Senate Rules - H421, Fill Vacancy on Bd of Comm by Party/Chatham
Senate Rules - H469, Sunset Beach/Parking Meter Proceeds
Senate Finance - H477=S516, LEO Privacy Protection
Senate Judiciary II - H483, Land-Use Regulatory Chan