NCGA Week in Review

Pardon Our Dust

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After a week of long days and late nights, the legislature has met theirself-imposed crossover deadline wherein bills that do not have a financialimpact must cross from one chamber to another to remain eligible. While thelegislature focused on crossover, Gov. Cooper made an appointment to asurprise vacancy on the Court of Appeals before the legislature overrodetwo vetoes from last week.

House and Senate Tackle Crossover Deadline

This week marked the final day of bill filing for the legislature for thelong session. The Senate’s final bill filing deadline passed on April 4 ^th, and the House’s passed this Tuesday. Between the twochambers, 1,594 bills have been filed since the long session began in lateJanuary.

Of the 919 bills filed in the House, 332 bills have been sent to theSenate, and 118 of the 675 bills filed in the Senate have been sent to theHouse. Additionally, bills with a fiscal impact, including a fee,appropriation or criminal penalty are not subject to crossover. A ruleadopted earlier in this in the Senate week also excluded amendments to theNC Constitution, statutory amendments necessary to implement proposed NCConstitutional amendments, and those ratifying an amendment or amendmentsto the US Constitution from this deadline.

Bills that did not make it past the crossover deadline may still pop up inthe form of committee substitutes, as it is the bill number, not thecontent of the bill, is subject to the deadline. This provides legislatorswith a way to gut and replace bills. As the end of the fiscal yearapproaches, the General Assembly now turns its attention to finalizingtheir budget proposals.

Here’s a quick look at some of the bills that have made it from one chamberto another:

Governor’s Desk

Several bills were sent to or signed by the Governor this week:

Signed by the Governor:

HB 5: Unemployment Insurance Technical Changes

HB 13: Class Size Requirement Changes.

Sent to the Governor:

HB 467: Agriculture and Forestry Nuisance Remedies

SB 131: Regulatory Reform Act of 2016-2017

Judicial Appointment

Gov. Cooper appointed John Arrowood, a Democrat, to the Court of Appeals onMonday. Arrowood, an attorney from Charlotte was previously appointed tothe Court of Appeals bench in 2007 by Governor Mike Easley. Arrowood losthis bid for reelection in 2008. He also unsuccessfully ran for a seat onthe Court in 2014. The appointment came as the result of the surpriseresignation of Judge Doug McCullough, a Republican, 36 days before hiscompulsory retirement date. In his resignation statement, Judge McCulloughcited his opposition toHB 239: Reduce Court of Appeals to 12 Judges, which became law after the General Assembly overrode the Governor’s veto.

Vetoes Overridden

This week the legislature overrode the twovetoesissued by Gov. Roy Cooper last Friday.SB 68: Bipartisan Bd of Elections and Ethics EnforceandHB 239: Reduce Court of Appeals to 12 Judges, both passed the legislature primarily by party lines earlier this month,both under the threat of a veto from the Governor. Upon arriving at theGovernor’s desk, vetoes were issued, and both bills were sent back to thelegislature for reconsideration. To override a veto, a bill requires theapproval of three-fifths of members present in each chamber. Withveto-proof majorities in both chambers, the GOP was able to override thevetoes and both SB 68 and HB 239 have become law.

April 28, 2017

Pardon Our Dust

House and Senate Tackle Crossover Deadline

Agriculture, Energy & Environment

Business Regulations

Constitutional Amendments

Courts

Education

Elections

Finance & Tax

Health Care

Justice & Public Safety

Transportation

Governor’s Desk

Judicial Appointment

Vetoes Overridden