As the end of the fiscal year approached, we worked diligently in the House this past week to get a permanent spending plan in place for the next two years.
We came close, but in the end agreed that we need at least another month to continue negotiations. Negotiations are particularly complex this year because leaders in both chambers want to develop a plan that takes back a significant share of the Medicaid expenses of the counties. Our initial budget proposal in the House recommended giving the counties $100 million based on their Medicaid costs, freeing up money for school construction and other critical local needs.
We are also looking a plan now that over several years would totally take over all of the counties’ Medicaid costs in exchange for a swap of some revenues, such as a portion of the sales tax that counties receive. The total county cost of Medicaid is expected to reach $733 million in the next five years and shifting the cost to the state will allow better local financial planning.
Negotiations on this plan will continue next week.
Outside of our negotiations, we continued work this week to strengthen ethics policy in the state, protect your health and the health of our state workers and to guard against disasters such as the explosion and fire last year at the hazardous waste plant in Apex.
We also had the honor of recognizing members of our state National Guard as they continue to protect the interests of our nation abroad.
Thank you for allowing me to share this information with you. Please contact me if I can be of additional help.
Ethics
Officials convicted of felony misconduct must forfeit their pensions under a bill sent this week to Gov. Mike Easley. The Senate accepted minor changes from the House on the bill (S659). The bill requires officials convicted of a federal or state offense involving corruption or a felony violation of election laws committed in their official capacity to lose their retirement benefits earned in that office.
Health
The House concurred Thursday with changes made in the Senate to a bill (H24) that would bar smoking in all buildings owned, leased or occupied by state government. The bill now goes to the governor for his signature. The House also approved a bill (S1086) that would ban the use of tobacco products on school campuses at all times. If the Senate concurs with changes made in the House, that bill will also go to the governor.
A bill that would provide insurance parity to people who receive mental health services cleared the Senate Health Committee this week. The bill (H973) would require private health insurers to pay for mental health services on the same level as what they pay for physical health services. The bill is expected to save the state money by reducing the amount of money spent for public mental health services.
Public Safety
A bill that would require stricter oversight of hazardous waste storage sites was signed into law this week. The bill (H36) protects residents by requiring hazardous waste sites to take financial responsibility and conduct preventative screenings for environmental contamination when hazardous materials are released. The bill was filed in response to an explosion and fire at a hazardous waste storage facility in Apex late last year that resulted in the evacuation of thousands of people. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said this week that mislabeled oxygen generators in the plant probably fueled the fire.
Property Rights
The House concurred this week with minor changes the Senate made to a bill that defines and punishes residential mortgage fraud in North Carolina. The bill (H817) makes it a felony to knowingly misrepresent or exclude information in the mortgage lending process even if the victim is not harmed financially. Offenders can be sentenced to up to 16 months if they have no prior record and up to 31 months if they are linked to at least five cases of fraud with no prior record. Mortgage fraud is illegal under existing laws, but it was covered by general fraud law. That law required stolen property to be valued at a minimum of $100,000 before the offender would face substantial punishment. The changes make it easier to protect people who were cheated out of lesser amounts.
Elections
The House sent the Senate version of the one-stop voting sites bill (H91) to a conference committee this week. The bill would allow residents to register and vote right away at one-stop voting sites during the last two and a half weeks before an election. Presently voters can vote early at one-stop voting sites, but registration ends 25 days before an election.
Notes
The Senate and the House honored members of the North Carolina Guard for their services and sacrifices at home and in wars overseas. The resolution (H1720) honored the 11 National Guard members who died in the line of duty and six who were killed in action since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Nearly 11,000 members of the guard have been deployed overseas since that time and 135 have been wounded in action. Members and leaders of the North Carolina National Guard, dressed in their green, gray, and tan uniforms, listened from the galleries as the names of their slain or wounded comrades were read aloud.
Infant mortality rates in North Carolina have remained steady since 2000, but remain relatively high compared to the national rates. Public health officials said this week that while the state has made much progress in women’s access to prenatal care and care for premature babies, chronic issues such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes may be the cause of the high infant mortality rate.
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Please remember that you can listen to each day’s session, committee meetings and press conferences on the General Assembly’s website. Once on the site, select “audio,” and then make your selection — House Chamber, Senate Chamber, Appropriations Committee Room or Press Conference Room.
The House will return to session Monday at 7 p.m.
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.