Legislators were extremely busy in Raleigh all week as we tried to wrap up our remaining work so we can adjourn for the year.
We passed numerous bills this week on topics such as requiring all passengers to wear seatbelts, prohibiting teenagers from talking on a cell phone while driving, improving our state’s economic development programs, and requiring better inspections of private wells.
The Senate continues to work on the various ethics, campaign finance and lobbying reform bills, which have passed the House in recent weeks. I strongly believe that we must give final approval to these bills and others dealing with sex offender registration and monitoring, eminent domain restrictions to protect private property rights, establishing a lottery oversight committee, before we adjourn. Legislative leaders remain hopeful that the House and Senate can pass the remaining bills next week and adjourn for the year by next Friday — stay tuned for further updates next week.
Please remember that you can listen to each day’s session, committee meetings and press conferences on the General Assembly’s website at www.ncleg.net. Once on the site, select “audio,” and then make your selection — i.e. House Chamber, Senate Chamber, Appropriations Committee Room or Press Conference Room.
Mission Accomplished: State’s Minimum Wage Will Increase
North Carolina’s minimum wage will finally increase to $6.15 per hour on January 1, 2007. Governor Mike Easley signed into law on Thursday HB 2174, which will increase the state’s minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.15. The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Alma Adams (D-Guilford), Rep. Jim Harrell III (D-Surry) and Rep. Earl Jones (D-Guilford). The bill also ties North Carolina’s minimum wage to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. If the federal minimum wage is raised, employees in North Carolina will receive whichever wage is higher. The federal minimum wage is currently $5.15 an hour and has not been raised in nine years. The wage increase is expected to benefit 139,000 workers in North Carolina.
Campaign Finance Reform Bill Goes to Governor
The House and Senate have given final approval to legislation (HB 1845) that will prohibit candidates and elected officials from converting campaign funds for personal use. The unspent campaign funds may be donated to charity, political parties or other campaigns. Candidates may also pay election law fines out of the funds or return contributions to donors. The legislation requires more thorough reporting of campaign expenses and prevents heirs of deceased candidates from inheriting campaign money. The measure was one of ten recommendations made earlier this summer by the House Select Committee on Ethics and Governmental Reform, which met prior to the start of this year’s short session. The House and Senate are also trying to finalize legislation that will increase disclosure of campaign contributions, require further regulation of lobbyists, and improve the ethics laws governing the Executive and Legislative Branches.
Safer Drinking Water for Well Users
A House bill that requires North Carolina counties to inspect and test private wells passed the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday and will have a full Senate vote early next week. HB 2873, sponsored by Rep. Verla Insko (D-Orange) and Rep. Lucy Allen (D-Franklin), passed the House earlier this week. The bill would require counties to set up an inspection program and send test samples to the state public health lab for review for 17 different elements and compounds, as well as for bacteria and acidity. About 2.7 million state residents rely on well water, but only a third of the counties actually have some kind of plan in place to oversee well construction or well testing. The Environmental Management Commission already inspects large wells used by community water systems that serve large housing developments and some municipalities.
I Pledge Allegiance…
A bill requiring schools to set aside time each day for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance is finally headed to Gov. Mike Easley’s desk for his signature. State law already encourages schools to display the U.S. and state flag, but does not require it. The bill (SB 700) would require the flags to be displayed and school children be given the opportunity to say the pledge each day.
Seat Belt Restrictions
All vehicle passengers, even those in the back seat, would have to buckle up in North Carolina under legislation that the General Assembly approved this week. The bill (SB 774) mandates seatbelt use for all riders in a passenger vehicle. The law would take effect on December 1, but for the first seven months — until next July — law enforcement officers would not issue tickets, only warnings. After that, the law straps back-seat passengers who are not wearing a seat belt with a $10 ticket; however, it would only be a secondary violation, meaning law enforcement cannot stop a vehicle solely for a seat belt infraction. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk for his signature.
Teens and Cell Phones
The House has approved legislation (SB 1289) that would prohibit teenagers from talking on their cell phones while driving. The bill passed on a vote of 89-22 on Wednesday and will now go back to the Senate for final approval. Motorists under the age of 18 caught using a cell could face a $25 fine and an extension to their graduated driving period. Like other graduated licensing rules, this law is designed more as a tool for parents than a tool for law enforcement. The bill does make exceptions for teenagers speaking with parents, law enforcement and spouses. According to supporters of the bill, more than 21 percent of all highway fatalities occur in crashes involving teenage drives. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among North Carolina teens, with more than 400 killed in the past five years. Drivers using mobile phones are four times more likely to be involved in a crash than those who aren’t.
Improving Our State’s Economy
On Thursday, the House gave final approval to HB 2170, which will consolidate and improve North Carolina’s primary job creation incentives program, the William S. Lee Act. First approved in 1996, the Bill Lee Act provides tax credits to certain industries that create jobs, install machinery, train workers and perform research. Companies receive tax credits based on the location of the new jobs — companies receive higher credits if jobs are located in more economically distressed or impoverished counties of the state.
The Commerce Department said the extra funding was needed to help recruit an extraordinary number of potential job-creation projects during the rest of 2006. The grant program gives back to companies cash grants equal to up to 75 percent of state withholding taxes generated by jobs they have created. Other parts of the bill would extend the program through 2009 and allow motorsports manufacturing facilities to qualify for the grants. The measure now moves over to the Senate for consideration.
Legislators are also seeking to improve and expand two other job creation programs — the Job Development Investment Grants (JDIG) and the One North Carolina Fund, which have helped create more than 33,000 new jobs across the state since 2001.
Increasing Cable Competition, Lower Prices for Consumers
The House has given final approval to a bill (HB 2047) that would deregulate cable television service in a move supporters hope will lead to new programming choices and lower rates. The House voted 111-5 to approve recent changes made by the Senate. Beginning Jan. 1, the measure would phase out local franchise agreements between cable providers and city and county governments. After that, any company who wants to provide pay television service over phone lines or broadband Internet can register with the Secretary of State’s Office. Traditional phone companies such as BellSouth consider the bill, which now goes to Gov. Mike Easley for his signature, an easier way to enter new markets.
House Approves Bills for Veterans
House members approved two pieces of legislation this week that will help North Carolina’s approximately 800,000 veterans and 90,000 active duty members of the military. The bills now head to the Governor.
On Wednesday, we approved HB 2883, which will protect veterans, active duty military and members of the National Guard against identity theft. The bill was in response to the news of a recent theft of a federal government database in Washington, D.C. that included the names, Social Security numbers and birthdates of 26.5 million veterans across the nation. The laptop has since been recovered, and federal investigators believe the data had not been accessed. Worried veterans, however, will not have to pay the up to $10 state law permits for credit reporting agencies to charge for the credit freeze, which prevents any credit from being taken in their name. Surviving spouses of military personnel can also get a credit freeze under the proposal, and family members can act on behalf of active-duty personnel overseas. Veterans who suspect identity theft should call (800) FED-INFO or (800) 333-4636 or go to: www.firstgov.gov/veteransinfo.shtml.
On Thursday, the House passed a bill (SB 862) which would allow veterans who served in the Korean Conflict or the Vietnam War to be issued high school diplomas if they had not previously received them. These special diplomas are already issued to veterans of World War II. A number of other states have similar programs including Kentucky, Indiana, Colorado and Vermont.
Personal Note
I am recovering at home this week from surgery that removed a tumor from my kidney at Duke University Medical Center on July 7th. I am feeling much better and plan to return to Raleigh before adjournment. My family and I appreciate your concern and get well wishes and ask that you continue to remember us in your prayers.
The House will be back in session on Monday night at 7 pm. Several House committees will also meet on Monday afternoon in order to move the remaining unfinished bills through our chamber.
As I’ve said many times before, I hope you will continue to let me know how you feel about the issues that are being debated by the North Carolina Legislature and the challenges you and your family are facing each day.
By working together, we can make Northampton, Vance and Warren Counties and all regions of North Carolina a better place to live, work and raise a family.
We at Home in Henderson wish Representative Wray a speedy recovery! — Ed.