North Carolina General Assembly Week in Review

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ICYMI, Political News

Governor signs eight bills

Governor Pat McCrory signed eight bills into law this week, leaving less than 25 bills awaiting his signature. The Governor has until October 30th to signor veto the remaining bills. However, if the Governor takes no action on a bill, the bill will become law without his signature. If the Governor were toveto a bill after adjournment he is required to reconvene the General Assembly.

SB 472Local Incentives for Historic Rehabilitation – Authorizes cities and counties to make grants or loans for the rehabilitation of historic structures and tomake appropriations for economic development purposes.

HB 679UNC Self-Liquidating Projects – Authorizes the acquisition or construction and the financing of four capital improvement projects of the University ofNorth Carolina.

HB 924Highway Safety/Other Changes – Clarifies when a law enforcement officer is required to request a blood sample, the law governing prohibited use of red andblue lights, the subpoena authority of the Director of the SBI and repeals certain mandatory reporting regarding pseudoephedrine products.

HB 647Epi Pens in All Child-Serving Businesses – Allows authorized entities, any entity at which allergens capable of causing anaphylaxis may be present such assummer camps, day cares, and restaurants, to maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors. Also authorizes healthcare providers to prescribe andpharmacists to dispense epinephrine auto-injectors to those authorized entities.

SB 694Reegan’s Rule/Enforce Pharmacy Benefit Management – Encourages parent education during well child visits at specific age intervals regarding Type IDiabetes and amends the law pertaining to Pharmacy Benefit Managers.

SB 279Amend Qualifications/Practice of Counseling – Amends the professional counselors act to modify educational qualifications for the practice of counselingand requires local boards of education to address sex trafficking prevention and awareness.

SB 519Amend Child Custody Laws – Promotes the encouragement of parenting time with children by both parents.

HB 943Connect NC Bond Act of 2015 – Will place a $2 billion bond package on the March 2016 Presidential Primary ballot in North Carolina. If approved by thevoters, the bill makes investments in education facilities, parks, National Guard facilities and water and sewer infrastructure throughout NC.

See Governor Press Releases on the bill signings here and here.

Not Running

Rep. Bryan Holloway (R-Stokes) announced today he is resigning, effective immediately, from the NC General Assembly. Rep. Holloway is leaving to pursue anopportunity with the NC School Board Association. Announced earlier this week, Rep. Nathan Baskerville (D-Vance) stated he will not seek reelection in2016. Reps. Holloway and Baskerville are the latest of eight General Assembly members to announce their retirement or resignation.

New Operations Director for NC’s Medicaid program

Dee Jones has been named the new operations director for NC’s Medicaid program, overseeing the transition from the fee-for-service method to managed care. HB 372, Medicaid Reform Act, createdthe new Division of Health Benefits. Jones is formerly the chief operating officer of the Department of Administration.

New Secretary of the Military and Veteran Affairs

Tuesday NC’s first Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary was sworn in at the state Capitol. Retired Marine Corps. Maj. Gen. Cornell WilsonJr. also served as a member of the NC Military Affairs Commission.

Fiscal Research Revenue Report Reveals Growth

Fiscal Research released theQuarterly General Fund Revenue Reportin October. Among other findings, the report reveals the General Fund collections for the first quarter of the current fiscal year are $40.3 million (0.8%)above the revenue target. Fiscal Research reports that tax revenues are $60.7 million ahead of the $4.9 billion target with over half of the surplus comingfrom Corporate Income tax collections. However, non-tax revenues from fees and investments are $20.4 below the target of $216.6 million. Fiscal Researchalso cautions in its presentation that the first several months of the fiscal year are typically the least important for the full year. Fiscal researchnotes among its conclusions that “[t]he economy remains in a stable, yet modest growth pattern. Forecasters project this pattern will persist at leastthrough the next 9 to 12 months. Recession risks are slightly elevated do to this prolonged, below-average recovery, but remain below 20%.”

Important Economic Development Resulting from 2015 Session

McGuireWoods Consulting (MWC) and its clients proactively advocated and negotiated several successful policy provisions impacting economic development andtax issues. Several of these provisions and other legislation affecting economic development and tax issues from the 2015 session are included below.

2015 Appropriations Act, HB 97

Venture Capital Multiplier Fund – provides a perpetual and sustainable source of funding for the investment of 10% of the net assets of the Escheat Fund.The legislation authorizes the engagement of a third-party professional actuary or consultant to administer funds and select investment opportunitiesappropriate for receiving allocations from the Fund on the basis of potential return on investment and the risks attendant thereto. This policy wassupported by several MWC clients.

Single Sales Tax Factor –phases-in a single sales factor during 2016-17 tax years, 2018 tax year will impose 100% single sales factor for all corporations.NC currently uses a double-weighted sales apportionment factor for most corporations. For the 2016 tax year NC will impose a triple-weighted sales factor,and for the 2017 tax impose a quadruple-weighted sales factor. MWC was actively involved in these negotiations on behalf of several clients.

Corporate Rate Reduction – beginning on January 1, 2016, the state corporate tax rate will decrease from 5% to 4%. The corporate rate will further decreaseto 3% on the fiscal year following the year the net General Fund tax collected in a fiscal year exceeds $20.975 billion.

Tax Base Expansion – sales tax will apply to repair, maintenance, and installation services for a motor vehicle or tangible personal property beginning onMarch 1, 2016.

Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Revenue for Economic Development, Public Education, and Community Colleges – disburses $84.8 million for fiscal year 2016-17,and $84.8 million plus the percentage change of the total collection of local tax levied under Articles 39, 40, and 42 in the following fiscal years, tocounties by a new allocation formula intended to “address sales tax leakage that results from the different revenue‑raising capacity of local option salestaxes in each taxing jurisdiction.” Counties must use these funds for economic development, public education, or community college expenses. MWC wasactively involved in these negotiations on behalf of several clients.

Historic Preservation Tax Credit – creates a new tax credit for rehabilitating historic buildings going into effect January 1, 2016 and expiring January 1,2020. The credit provides a tiered system for income producing certified historic structures, 15% for up to $10 million of qualified expenses, and 10% forover $10 million to $20 million of qualified expenses. There is no credit for qualified expenses over $20 million. The credit also provides bonus creditsfor projects in Tier 1 or 2 counties or for targeted investments in manufacturing or agricultural related projects that have been vacant for the twopreceding years. There is a 15% credit for rehabilitating nonincome-producing certified historic structures, which will include private residences. Theminimum qualified expenses must be at least $10,000 and cannot exceed $150,000 within a 24 month period.

Personal Income Tax Reduction – beginning in January of 2017, the individual income tax provision will decrease from 5.75% to 5.499% and increased standarddeductions for married filing jointing by $500, heads of household by $400, and single or married filing separately by $250.

Franchise Tax Changes – makes changes to the franchise tax base to raise the maximum tax levied from $75,000 to $150,000 and minimum from $35 to $200.

NC Competes Act, HB 117

JDIG – extends the expiration of the program to January 1, 2019. The legislation also increases the amount that may be committed as grants under theprogram by $5 million for the current period, increases the calendar year statutory cap from $15M to $20M on an on-going basis, provides additionalcommitment for high yield projects, and makes other changes. MWC actively worked on this legislation.

OneNC – modifies local match requirements to a tiered requirement: 3 State dollars for 1 local dollar for tier 1, 2 State dollars for 1 local dollar fortier 2, and an even local match for tier 3. MWC actively worked on this legislation.

Aviation Fuel Incentives – extends the sunset of the current sales tax refund provision for interstate passenger air carriers to January 1, 2020 andexpands the exemption. Beginning January 1, 2016, the legislation exempts from sales tax fuel sold to an interstate air business for use in a commercialaircraft; tax remaining sales of aviation gasoline and jet fuel at 7%. Effective October 1, 2015, the sales tax rate on aircraft and tax qualified jetengines increases to 4.75% with a maximum tax of $2,500 and exempts service contracts and repairs, maintenance, and installation services on qualifiedaircraft and qualified jet engines from sales tax. MWC actively worked on this legislation.

Datacenter Incentives – beginning on January 1, 2016, the legislation creates a sales tax exemption for qualifying datacenters for equipment andelectricity. It expands the type of business properties that would qualify for the exemption. To qualify the center will need to meet wage standard andhealth insurance requirements, and would need to have a written certification from the Secretary of Commerce that at least $75 million in private funds hasbeen or will be invested by one or more owners, users, or tenants of the datacenter within five years of the date the initial investment is made. MWCactively worked on this legislation.

Motor Vehicle Service Contract Exempt from Sales Tax – exempts service contracts on motor vehicles from sales tax as imposed in HB 97, on repair, maintenance, andinstallation services.

Extend NASCAR Sales Tax Preference – extends the current sales tax preferences for motorsports from January 1, 2016, to January 1, 2020.

Local Incentives for Historic Rehabilitation, SB 472

The bill became effective on October 20, 2015 when it was signed into law by the Governor. The new law provides that cities and counties may makeappropriations for economic development that “increases the population, taxable property, agricultural industries and business prospects of any city orcounty.” The new law creates special rules for 7 types of economic development projects. It adds “employment and industrial output to the list ofpermissible economic development goals.” All appropriations for economic development are subject to the public hearing requirement of G.S. 158-7.1(c), theLocal Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act, and public disclosure in the local government’s annual financial report under the requirements of G.S.158-7.1(e). The new law also allows cities and counties to make grants or loans for the rehabilitation of commercial or noncommercial historic structures,whether the structure is publicly or privately owned.

NC Bond Act 2015,H943

Included in the Appropriations Act, HB 97, was a blueprint for the $2 billion infrastructure bond for capital projects, later included in this legislation.The finance portion of the state budget was contingent on HB 943 passing both House and Senate chambers before January 1, 2016. NC voters will have achance to vote on this issue on the 2016 Presidential Primary ballot in March.

The bill authorizes the State to issue $2 billion in bonds for economic development and infrastructure projects, upon approval by the majority of NCprimary voters. The bond package has been a priority for the Governor this session, the bill requiring the economic development and infrastructure projectsfunded by the bond to be consistent with Governor Pat McCrory’s Connect NC Plan.

The following projects are among those listed in HB 943, set to benefit from the bond funding if the bond is approved by voters in March:

$980 million total-University of North Carolina: Includes varying appropriations for new construction projects and renovations for 15 of the 16state universities. Elizabeth City State University is not listed as receiving funding from the Bond. However the University received a $3 millionnonrecurring appropriation in the budget to stabilize enrollment and be used for enhancing technology related to enrollment and recruitment of students,campus access and safety, and human resource management.

$350 million total-NC Community Colleges: Includes varying appropriations for new construction, repairs, and renovations funding for all of NorthCarolina’s 58 Community Colleges.

$312.5 million total-Local Parks and Infrastructure: Provides 3 million for the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources to issue matching grants for children with disabilities and veterans withdisabilities. Also provides $309.5 million for the Department of Environmental Quality to provide loans and grants for water/sewer.

$70 million for the National Guard’s Readiness Centersin Guilford, Burke and Wilkes Counties.

$179 million total-Agriculture projects: Provides $85 million to NC State University for its Plan Sciences Building Ag/NCSU Partnership. Also provides $94 million to Agriculture and ConsumerServices for a Veterinary/Food/Drug/Motor Fuels Lab.

$100 million for State Parks and Attractions

$8.5 million for the Samarcand Training Academyin Moore County