LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: from Rep. Norman Sanderson, NC House District 3

August 6, 2011

Promises made. Promises kept.


The North Carolina Legislature finished a HISTORIC session just over one week ago! In just 87 days (the shortest "long session" since 1973), the Republican-led House and Senate passed legislation that will improve the state's economic solvency. Chief among our accomplishments was passing a bipartisan budget that cuts taxes, reduces spending, and reforms and improves public education - all while closing a $2.5 billion deficit. The budget fully funds classroom teachers and teaching assistants, makes important education reforms, and protects other core state services.

The state budget also sunsets a nearly $1 billion "temporary" sales tax hike that Gov. Perdue and legislative Democrats raised in the peak of the economic recession and promised would end this year. It also eliminates the "temporary" income tax surcharge and implements a $50,000 income exemption for private businesses - the job-creating engines of North Carolina. These tax savings will create as many as 15,000 jobs in the short term and thousands more in the future, economists say.

You are probably aware that the legislature has also been busy with the redistricting process. Please read below for an explanation of this and how you may be affected.


THANK YOU for making it your business to know what your state government is doing. If you have a question, suggestion, or want to tell me where you stand on an issue, please call me at (919) 733-5853 or (252) 671-9610 . The long session may be over, but I am still working for you!

Norman

Notable Republican Bills Signed Into Law

House Bill 36 - An act to require counties, cities and employers to use the Federal E-Verify program to verify the work authorization of newly hired employees was signed by the Governor on June 23, 2011.

House Bill 92 - An act to repeal the land transfer tax was signed into law by the Governor on March 31, 2011.

House Bill 542 - An act to provide tort reform for North Carolina citizens and businesses was signed into law by the Governor on June 24, 2011.

House Bill 588 - An act requiring local boards of education to teach a semester long course in high school entitled, "American History I - The Founding Principles." The course will include a study on The Creator - endowed inalienable rights of the people, rule of law, equal justice under law, private property rights, federalism, due process, individual responsibility, etc. The Governor made this act law on June 23, 2011.

House Bill 596 - An act to require that proceeds of certain dispositions of state-owned real property be used in part to support the general fund, in part to support the teachers' and state employees' retirement system of North Carolina, and in part to support the agencies to which the property was allocated; and to appropriate funds for these purposes. The bill became law by the Governor's hand on June 27, 2011.


House Bill 642 - The Justice Reinvestment Act was signed into law on June 23, 2011 by the Governor. The act is a major reform of the North Carolina Justice system.

House Bill 650 - An act to provide when a person may use defensive force and to amend various gun laws regarding the right to own, possess, or carry a firearm in North Carolina was signed into law by the Governor on June 23, 2011.

House Bill 762 - An act to protect landowner's rights was signed into law by the Governor on June 23, 2011.

House Bill 927 - An act to make changes to the statutes governing the teachers' and state employees' retirement system and the consolidated judicial retirement system to ensure the future solvency of those systems was signed into law by the Governor on June 23, 2011.

Notable Republican Bills That Became Law without the Governor's Signature

House Bill 48 - An act to reduce spending by eliminating statewide standardized testing in the public schools, except as required by Federal law or as a condition of a Federal grant. The bill became law on March 21, 2011.

House Bill 119 - An act to amend certain environmental and natural resources laws was presented to the Governor on June 20, 2011 and became law without her signature on July 1, 2011.

House Bill 744 - The "Safe Schools Act" states that a principal of any public school shall require the parent or guardian of any child presented for admission for the first time to that school to furnish (i) a certified copy of the child's birth certificate, which shall be furnished by the register of deeds of the county having on file the record of the birth of the child, or other satisfactory evidence of date of birth, as provided in Article 4 of Chapter 130A. The act became law on June 28, 2011.

House Bill 344 - An act to allow individual income tax credit for children with disabilities who require special education and to create a fund for special education and related services became law on July 1, 2011.

House Bill 845 - An act to reform the involuntary annexation laws of North Carolina became law on July 1, 2011.

Veto Overrides

Senate Bill 33 - An act to reform the laws relating to money judgment appeal bonds, bifurcation of trials in civil cases and medical liability became law on July 25, 2011 after the House and Senate voted to override the Governor's veto.

Senate Bill 496 - An act to provide requirements of Medicaid and health choice providers became law on July 25, 2011 after the House and Senate voted to override the Governor's veto.

Senate Bill 532 (HB 813) - An act to reform employment security laws by creating the Division of Employment Security within the Department of Commerce became law on July 26, 2011 after the House and Senate voted to override the Governor's veto.

Senate Bill 781 - An act to increase regulatory efficiency in order to balance job creation and environmental protection was vetoed by the Governor. The House and Senate overrode the Governor's veto on July 25, 2011 and the bill became law.

House Bill 854 - An act to require a 24-hour waiting period and the informed consent of a pregnant woman before an abortion may be performed became law on July 28, 2011 after the House and Senate voted to override the Governor's veto.

Legislative Redistricting 2011

The first phase of the 2011 redistricting process for North Carolina is complete. At the end of July, the NC Senate and House voted into law the new plans that will be in effect until the next census in 2020. Our state experienced unprecedented growth over the last ten years, exceeding over 1.45 million people. Because districts are determined by population and limited in number, most districts either expanded or decreased to allow for population change.

In House District 3, we lost several key communities in Craven County, picked up some important new ones and will have to expand into a substantial portion of Beaufort County. I believe it is good for the election process and the voters.

The next phase of the redistricting plan is to pass the scrutiny of the NC Courts, the Department of Justice and the Federal Courts in Washington, DC. We are confident that the districts have been drawn to withstand any challenges in spite of the negative press of the last few weeks. In an attempt to correct 100+ years of gerrymandering, remember that change is inevitable. When you elected a Republican majority in 2010, we promised the new districts would be drawn "Fair and Legal".

Promises made. Promises kept.

If you would like to examine the new districts and voter statistics related to them, CLICK HERE to visit the NC Legislature website. If you still have questions, please call me at 252-671-9610.