Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

Legislative Reports—What’s Happening in Raleigh?

Compiled by Kathleen McFadden

Here’s what’s going on with Senator Steve Goss and Representative Cullie Tarleton at the NC General Assembly. Contact Goss at 919-733-5742; contact Tarleton at 919-733-7727.

Senator Steve Goss

Committee Assignment: Goss has been appointed to the Select Committee on Government and Election Reform that will look at campaign finance reform.

Military Family Assistance Centers: Governor Mike Easley supports Goss’ bill, Senate Bill 96, that would provide funding for 10 family assistance centers for members of the North Carolina National Guard and other members of the armed forces and their families. The centers will be located around the state and provide support for families primarily by offering family assistance, counseling, financial assistance, and help with health care matters. The governor included funding in his proposed budget for the centers: $1.5 million for the 2007-08 fiscal year and $1.4 million for the 2008-09 fiscal year.

Meeting with Local Environmental Groups: Goss recently met with representatives of local environmental groups to hear about their concerns and activities. National Committee for the New River Executive Director George Santucci, Dr. Bill Herring of the Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust and Teresa Buckwalter of High Country Conservancy identified the Clean Water Management Trust Fund as essential to the organizations’ work and expressed the hope that CWMTF would continue to be fully funded.

The Partnership for Watauga’s Future’s representative Jerry Williamson spoke in support of land use planning, and Eric Hiegl with High Country Conservancy urged funding for the Farmland Preservation Trust. Richard DeMott, president of the Watauga River Conservation Partners and Mayor Pro Tem of the Town of Seven Devils, described grants to the Town of Seven Devils that will fund a study of the underground water and wells in the area. Nancy Reigel represented Mountain Keepers and described her organization’s Stop the Litter campaign and suggested consideration of a refundable deposit on soft drink cans and bottles so that there is an incentive to pick them up off the roads.

Representative Cullie Tarleton

Tarleton encourages all constituents with children or grandchildren who might enjoy being a House page to contact his office.

Members of the House and Senate have introduced close to 1,700 pieces of legislation since the session started on January 24, and continues to show an enormous increase over two years ago. At the end of last week, the General Assembly’s staff had received 3,075 requests for bill drafts from members, up 26 percent compared to the same point in the 2005 long sessionLegislators have until March 28 to introduce local bills and May 9 to introduce bills related to the budget.

New House Rules: House members approved a new set of rules—House Resolution 423—that will ensure greater debate and more transparency in the House. The rules, passed by an 83-34 vote—all Democratic House members and 18 Republicans supported the bill—will govern the House during the next two years. The House will no longer allow “special provisions” that have been slipped into the budget in the past with little or no debate. To ensure that members have ample time to study a bill before a vote occurs, a House vote will be required for same-day consideration of legislation. The rules call for greater consultation and discussions with the Minority Leader. And the House will not allow so-called “blank bills” that do not contain substantive provisions when introduced but are filled in later during a session. To view the rules, click to

www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2007&BillID=h423.

House Democrats Legislative Agenda: The House Democratic Caucus has announced legislative priorities for the 2007 session. The title of the agenda is A Plan for One North Carolina, a theme that calls on all legislators to improve the lives of the men, women and children in all regions of North Carolina and help level the playing field between rural and urban areas. The House Democratic Caucus Agenda focuses on seven priorities for the 2007 session:

• Strengthen people’s confidence in a government that works for them.

• Provide the opportunity of a lifetime—a quality education.

• Create jobs that support strong, healthy and more prosperous families.

• Improve the health of our citizens—young and old.

• Support out military families, bases and communities.

• Ensure safer and more prosperous communities.

• Protect North Carolina’s air, water and land for future generations.

Smoking Ban in State Buildings: The House approved HB 24 to ban smoking in all state government buildings by a vote of 107-4. The bill moved to the Senate, and if approved and signed into law by the governor, the smoking restrictions would start January 1. Tarleton supported the bill.

High-Risk Health Insurance Pool: After gaining approval of the House Health Committee, the Insurance Committee approved legislation to create a “high-risk” insurance pool (HB 265) and sent it to the Finance Committee. The legislation would create a high-risk health insurance pool to allow people with preexisting health conditions to get health insurance at more affordable rates. The program would be funded through enrollee premiums and insurer assessments. The House approved a similar bill last year, but the Senate did not consider it before adjournment.

Hog Farm Moratorium: A 10-year state moratorium on new hog farms and their waste lagoons would be expanded for three more years under HB 275 that was approved by the House Agriculture Committee and sent to the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Tarleton is a member of both committees and supported the moratorium extension but wants to see an end to waste lagoons and is confident it will happen over the next couple of years. The moratorium, which has been extended several times since first approved in 1997, is currently set to expire September 1.

Domestic Violence: The House unanimously passed HB 42 that would add stalking to the list of offenses a judge must consider before granting a pretrial release and would increase the reporting requirements on homicides where the victim and perpetrator have a personal relationship. The House also passed HB 46 that would determine whether security guidelines are needed for domestic violence shelters operated by state-funded agencies and to provide, where feasible, private areas for domestic violence victims who are needed for any court proceeding where the defendant will be present. HB 47 would make it a felony for some suspected abusers to violate a protective order and contact victims while possessing a gun, knife or other deadly weapon. The Senate is now considering these bills.

Paddling in Schools: Legislators, school officials and child advocates recently held a press conference to call for a ban on corporal punishment (HB 853) in all public schools. North Carolina is one of 21 states that allows corporal punishment, although many states let local school districts set policies against it. Tarleton talked with Superintendent Short in Watauga and Superintendent Johnson in Ashe about this bill. Both agree with the bill as he does.

Child Car Seats: House members passed HB 61 that would bring North Carolina rules on child car seats into line with federal regulations so the state is eligible for $1 million in assistance to help poor parents afford to buy child car seats. The measure passed by a vote of 96-19 and moved to the Senate. Tarleton voted for the bill.

Tax Reform Committee: The State and Local Fiscal Modernization Study Commission has been meeting during the last several months to look at ways to update and reform the state’s tax code. The commission began its work with three major objectives: to recommend ways to update and reform the state’s tax code that would be revenue neutral, so there would be no overall increases in taxes; to foster a stronger partnership between the state and its 100 counties that currently pay for different services and programs; and to find ways to afford investments in needed infrastructure that will help the state and local economies grow. Tarleton supports the tax reform committee’s work.

Recent Bills: Tarleton sponsored or co-sponsored the following recently introduced bills.

HB 473 would change the school starting date.

HB 492 redefines “delinquent juvenile” as someone who is between the age of 6 years and 18 years. Currently, the definition only applies to children up to age 16.

HB 507 would appropriate funds for an Ashe County Forest Headquarters Building.

HB 508 would allow the Town of Blowing Rock to become part of the state’s health plan.

HB 524 would appropriate funds for North Carolina food banks.

HB 531 would raise the amount of pension for members of the North Carolina National Guard.

HB 543 would allow trapping of foxes in Ashe County.

HB 544 would allow trapping of raccoons in Ashe County.

HB 547 would allow funds in the National Guard Tuition Assistance Program to be used to provide grants to members of the National Guard to pay outstanding student loans.

HB 567 would appropriate funds for arts council program grants.

HB 593 would appropriate planning funds for the Appalachian Cultural Museum.

HB 621 would remove certain property (de-annex) from the Town of Beech Mountain.

HB 670 would Allow National Guard Post Exchanges.

HB 693 would give teachers credit for the excess personal leave time that they earn and ensure that teachers can take personal leave with five days’ notice.

HB 743 would provide funds for community colleges facilities and equipment.

HB 773 would protect members of the United States Armed Forces from dishonest and predatory life insurance and annuity sales practices.

HB 839 would provide funds for the State Energy Office.

HB 848 would Restore Funding for assistant principals.

HB 851 would provide funds for Teacher Assistant Scholarships.

HB 854 would provide funds for child care subsidy.

HB 855 would provide funds for drug treatment court.

HB 864 would provide funds for community college counselors.