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Committee Assignments announced
Today, House and Senate leadership announced a number of committee assignments.
Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) announced the following committee chairs:
- Education: Sens. Chad Barefoot (R-Wake), David Curtis (R-Lincoln), Michael Lee (R-New Hanover).
- Finance: Sens. Andrew Brock (R-Davie), Jerry Tillman (R-Randolph), Tommy Tucker (R-Union).
- Health Care: Sens. Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell), Joyce Krawiec (R-Forsyth), Louis Pate (R-Wayne).
- State and Local Government: Sens. John Alexander (R-Wake), Ronald Rabin (R-Harnett), Jeff Tarte (R-Mecklenburg).
- Transportation: Sens. Jim Davis (R-Macon), Tom McInnis (R-Richmond).
To view the full membership of these committees, click here.
House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) announced the following committee chairs:
- Aging: Reps. Pat Hurley (R-Randolph), Rena Turner (R-Iredell).
- Agriculture: Reps. Mark Brody (R-Union), Jimmy Dixon (R-Duplin), Bob Steinburg (R-Chowan).
- Alcoholic Beverage Control: Reps. Jamie Boles (R-Moore), Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson).
- Appropriations: Reps. Nelson Dollar (R-Wake), Dean Arp (R-Union), John Faircloth (R-Guilford), Linda Johnson (R-Cabarrus), Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth), Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson).
- Appropriations, Subcommittee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources: Reps. Jimmy Dixon (R-Duplin), Kyle Hall (R-Rockingham), Pat McElraft (R-Carteret), Stephen Ross (R-Alamance).
- Appropriations Subcommittee on Capital Expenditures: Reps. Justin Burr (R-Stanly) and Jon Hardister (R-Guilford).
- Appropriations Subcommittee on Education: Reps. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke), John Fraley (R-Iredell), Craig Horn (R-Union), Pat Hurley (R-Randolph).
- Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government: Reps. George Cleveland (R-Onslow), Dennis Riddell (R-Alamance).
- Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services: Reps. William Brisson (R-Bladen), Josh Dobson (R-McDowell), Chris Malone (R-Wake) and Greg Murphy (R-Pitt).
- Appropriations Subcommittee on Justice and Public Safety: Reps. Jamie Boles (R-Moore), Ted Davis Jr. (R-New Hanover), Allen McNeill (R-Randolph), Rena Turner (R-Iredell).
- Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation: Reps. Frank Iler (R-Brunswick), Michelle Presnell (R-Yancey), Phil Shepard (R-Onslow), John Torbett (R-Gaston).
- Banking. Rep. Julia Howard (R-Davie).
- Commerce and Job Development: Reps. Debra Conrad (R-Forsyth), Susan Martin (R-Wilson) and Stephen Ross (R-Alamance).
- Education – Community Colleges: Reps. Mark Brody (R-Union), John Sauls (R-Lee).
- Education – K-12: Reps. Debra Conrad (R-Forsyth), Jeffrey Elmore (R-Wilkes), Craig Horn (R-Union) and Linda Johnson (R-Cabarrus).
- Education – Universities: Reps. John Fraley (R-Iredell), Jonathan Jordan (R-Ashe).
- Elections and Ethics Law: Reps. Bert Jones (R-Rockingham), David Lewis (R-Harnett).
- Energy and Public Utilities: Reps. Jeff Collins (R-Nash), John Szoka (R-Cumberland), and Sam Watford (R-Davidson).
- Environment: Reps. Pat McElraft (R-Carteret), Larry Yarborough (R-Person).
- Ethics: Reps. John Faircloth (R-Guilford), Ken Goodman (R-Richmond).
- Finance: Reps. Bill Brawley (R-Mecklenburg), Jason Saine (R-Lincoln), Kelly Hastings (R-Gaston), Susan Martin (R-Wilson), Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba), John Szoka (R-Cumberland).
- Health: Reps. Justin Burr (R-Stanly), Josh Dobson (R-McDowell), Bert Jones (R-Rockingham), Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth), Greg Murphy (R-Pitt).
- Homeland Security: Military and Veterans Affairs: Reps. George Cleveland (R-Onslow), Larry Pittman (R-Cabarrus), Michael Speciale (R-Craven).
- Homelessness, Foster Care and Dependency: Rep. Jonathan Jordan (R-Ashe).
- Insurance: Reps. Dana Bumgardner (R-Gaston), Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba).
- Judiciary I: Rep. Ted Davis, Jr (R-New Hanover).
- Judiciary II: Rep. John Blust (R-Guilford).
- Judiciary III: Rep. Jonathan Jordan (R-Ashe), Lee Zachary (R-Yadkin).
- Judiciary IV: Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke).
- Pensions and Retirement: Rep. Allen McNeill (R-Iredell).
- Regulatory Reform: Reps. John Bradford (R-Mecklenburg), Chris Millis (R-Pender), Dennis Riddell (R-Alamance).
- Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House: Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett).
- State and Local Government I: Rep. Carl Ford (R-Rowan).
- State and Local Government II: Rep. John Bradford (R-Mecklenburg).
- State Personnel: Rep. Harry Warren (R-Rowan).
- Transportation: Reps. Kelly Hastings (R-Gaston), Frank Iler (R-Brunswick), Phil Shepard (R-Onslow), John Torbett (R-Gaston).
- Wildlife Resources: Reps. Jay Adams (R-Catawba), Chris Malone (R-Wake).
2017 Elections
ASHEVILLE CITIZEN TIMES: Supreme Court temporarily blocks new NC districts, elections
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily blocked a lower court ruling that had directed North Carolina legislators to redraw state legislative districts by March 15 and hold special elections within the altered districts this fall.
2017 Long Session Outlook
WRAL-NEWS: Weary North Carolina voters wish for a less acrimonious 2017
In politically divided North Carolina, weary voters are hoping elected officials can set aside differences and effectively govern after a bruising election and bitter fight over transgender restroom access.
House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger offered a few hints Wednesday about the legislature’s 2017 agenda during a ceremonial opening day for the long session.
Education
WRAL-NEWS: Even with new governor, no sign to private-school grants to end
Democrat Roy Cooper criticized GOP Gov. Pat McCrory and Republican lawmakers during the gubernatorial campaign for a program that helps thousands of K-12 children in low- and middle-income families attend private or religious schools with taxpayer funds.
Health & Human Services
WRAL-NEWS: Audit: County offices still making Medicaid mistakes
North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services needs to do a better job of making sure counties follow the rules when they figure out if someone is or is not eligible for the Medicaid health insurance program, an audit released Thursday reports.
State and federal officials filed court motions Monday asking a judge to lift a court order that temporarily blocks Gov. Roy Cooper’s plan to expand Medicaid in this state before President Barack Obama leaves office.
In the Courts
WRAL-NEWS: Cooper expands challenge to new state laws
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday challenged more provisions of state laws passed last month by the Republican-controlled legislature.
Justice & Public Safety
NEWS & OBSERVER: NC lawmakers question of guns on campus
The topic of campus safety prompted legislators on Thursday to revisit the question of allowing concealed carry permit holders working at state colleges to bring handguns to class with them.
Leadership Changes
WRAL-NEWS: Cooper taps business execs for Commerce, Administration posts
Gov. Roy Cooper continued to add to his cabinet Thursday, naming area business executives to head the departments of Commerce and Administration.
WRAL-NEWS: Cooper adds veteran lawmaker, Medicaid expert to cabinet
Gov. Roy Cooper is almost finished naming his cabinet for his new administration, and he tapped a longtime state lawmaker and a Medicaid expert on Friday.
BLUE RIDGE NOW: House minority leader named Cooper’s veterans, military secretary
The Democratic minority leader in the North Carolina House for the previous two legislative sessions will leave the General Assembly to join Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration as secretary of veterans and military affairs.
Local Government
ASHEVILLE CITIZEN TIMES: After fight, Asheville looks at political districts on its own
Six months after a fight to stop a state lawmaker from splitting the city into political districts, the Asheville City Council may now go down that road on its own.
Transportation
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: Charlotte poised to tweak taxi rules to level playing field with Uber, Lyft
The last few years have been tough for many taxi drivers and companies, as ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Lyft eat into their market share with the ease of summoning a ride from one’s smartphone.