Pardon Our Dust
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After a week full of long nights and fast moving legislation, NC GeneralAssembly wrapped up six months of lawmaking today around 2:00 AM. Thelegislature is planning on coming back to Raleigh several times this year,with supplemental sessions planned for August, and September in theadjournment resolution. In the coming weeks, watch for a comprehensivelegislative wrap up and industry spotlights focusing on the major policyinitiatives passed in the long session.
Additional Sessions Called
In addition to naming the date that the General Assembly will reconvene forthe short session, May 16, 2018,SJR 686: Adjournment Resolutionsets two dates for the General Assembly to come back to Raleigh this year.
The General Assembly will first reconvene on August 3, where they areauthorized to consider vetoes issued by Governor Cooper, nominations andappointments, bills responding to litigation concerning statecongressional, legislative, judicial, municipal and county maps, bills thatwere returned to their originating chamber by June 28 for concurrence,bills providing for impeachment and bills that have passed a second floorvote in the receiving chamber but have not been taken up for a thirdreading. Rules Chairman Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett) said that this giveslawmakers additional time to handle bills where the chambers are currentlyin disagreement.
The legislature will then recess back on September 6, where the primaryfocus will likely be redrawing the state’s legislative and congressionaldistrict maps, but could also include veto overrides, constitutionalamendment referendums, appointments and impeachment matters. A finaldeadline for court-order legislative redistricting is set for November 15in the resolution.
Late last night, House and Senate leaders appointed members to newredistricting committees that will meet to work on new legislative districtmaps. The Senate Select Committee on Elections will be chaired by Sen.Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) while the House Select Committee on Redistrictingwill be chaired by Rep. Lewis.
To view full membership of the Senate Select Committee on Elections, followthislink.
To view full membership of the House Select Committee on Redistricting,follow thislink.
Awaiting Executive Action
When the General Assembly is in session, the Governor has ten days to signor veto a bill, or it automatically becomes law without his signature buthe has 30 days to take action when the legislature is adjourned. Currently,98 bills are sitting on the Governor’s desk. Here are some of the billsawaiting Gov. Cooper’s action:
HB 21: Driver Instruction/Law Enforcement Stops
HB 26: Workers Comp./Approval of Disputed Legal Fees
HB 84: DL/Deaf or Hard of Hearing Designation
HB 128: Prohibit Drone Use Over Prison/Jail
HB 161: Divestment From Companies That Boycott Israel
HB 310: Wireless Communications Infrastructure Siting
HB 402: Limit Env. Liability for Certain Recyclers
HB 434: Coins/Currency/Bullion Sales Tax Exemption
HB 462: Banking Law Amendments
HB 469: Fully Regulation of Autonomous Vehicles
HB 501: DOT/Surveying Information in Plans
HB 527: Restore/ Preserve Campus Free Speech
HB 576: Allow Aerosolization of Leachate
HB 589: Competitive Energy Solutions for NC
HB 772: Amend NC Int’l Arbitration/Conciliation Act
HB 800: Various Changes to Charter School Laws
SB 100: Aerial Adventure Financial Responsibility
SB 155: ABC Omnibus Legislation
SB 323: UNC Public Records/Athletic Conferences
SB 410: Marine Aquaculture Development Act
SB 600: Britny’s Law: IPV Homicide
SB 615: North Carolina Farm Act of 2017
SB 621: Business Contracts/Choice of Law and Forum
To view all of the bills on Gov. Cooper’s desk, follow thislink.
To view all bills that have become law this year, follow thislink.
Failed on the Floor
At times, legislation makes it to the chamber floor only to fail. When thishappens, the content of the bill is no longer eligible for considerationduring that legislative session. The following bills failed on the House orSenate floor:
HB 110: DOT/ DMV Changes – Megaproject Fundingpassed the House with a 65-50 vote, when it made it to the Senate, itfailed on the Senate floor 1-44. Senators argued that a provision that wasadded to the agency bill in the House that would create a Megaproject Fundundermined Strategic Transportation Investments law.
HB 581: Revisions to Outdoor Advertising Lawsfailed its second reading in the House by a vote of 48-67.
HB 616: North Carolina Public Benefit Corporation Actalso failed on the House floor with a vote of 54-60.
Additionally,SB 36: Convention of the States, initially failed a floor vote in the House, but that vote wasreconsidered via a procedural motion and the bill has been re-referred tothe House Committee on Rules.
Additionally, a number of bills filed in the long session failed to meetthe crossover deadline in April and are no longer eligible forconsideration.
Left on the Table
In addition to bills that met the crossover deadline and are eligible forconsideration in the short session, a number of bills remain on the tablefor consideration in the August 3 supplemental session.
There are 13 bills currently in conference committees and thereforeeligible for consideration in August. Conferees may negotiate and prepareconference reports to be adopted in August.
The following bills are currently in conference:
HB 56: Amend Environmental Laws
HB 162: Amend Administrative Procedure Laws
HB 403: Behavioral Health and Medicaid Modifications
HB 482: County Comm. Role in School Bldg. Acquisition
HB 770: Amend Environmental Laws 3
SB 16: Business & Agency Reg. Reform Act of 2017
SB 99: Report Certain CTR Data/ Auto Ins. Accuracy
SB 335: Study/ Fair Treatment of College Athletes
SB 582: Agency Technical Corrections
SB 628: Various Changes to the Revenue Laws
SB 656: Electoral Freedom Act of 2017
Additionally, any bills that were sent to their originating chamber forconcurrence by Wednesday, and bills that have passed a second floor vote inthe receiving chamber, but have not been taken up for a third reading, areeligible for consideration in August.