Several new laws go into place this month, laws that are intended to help you protect your homes, protect our environment and improve how our Division of Motor Vehicles operates, among many others.
I have shared information about many of our new laws with you previously. If you would like a full list of these laws and when they go into place, visit www.ncleg.net and click on 2007-08 Legislative Effective Dates in the News and Information section at the top of the page.
Please let me know if you have questions about any of the laws listed or if I can be of any help. As always, thank you for this opportunity to communicate with you.
Protecting Homeowners
Mortgage holders now have more time to work with their banks before losing their homes. The bill (H2623) requires lenders to give homeowners 45 days notice before starting foreclosure proceedings and gives the state bank commissioner authority to delay foreclosures for up to 30 days.
Another new law (H2188) requires home loan servicers to provide anyone taking out a mortgage with information about servicer fees within 30 days of the activation of those fees. The fee would be waived if the servicer fails to notify the receiver of the mortgage.
Transportation
Drivers’ licenses and state-issued identification cards now have a different look that is intended to make it easier for store clerks to recognize people who are not old enough to buy tobacco or alcohol. A new law (H2487) requires that people 21 and under get cards with vertical rather than horizontal formats. The change was recommended by the state’s Child Fatality Task Force.
Clerks of court can now help determine whether a person found incompetent under state guardianship laws will be allowed to keep their driving privileges. The clerks often make or help make competency determinations and the law (H2391) requires the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to consider their recommendations. The new law applies to all people judged incompetent on or after Oct. 1.
One bill made several changes to how vehicle registrations are handled in the state. The new law (S1787):
Environment
The state has a new law to help improve the way it deals with droughts. The bill (H2499) gives the governor more authority during a drought to work with local governments to help them address water shortages and makes other changes to improve how we manage droughts. The bill also requires public water providers to develop drought and water shortage plans, while heavy water users would be subject to stricter reporting requirements. Municipalities, business, farmers and private residents collaborated on the law.
Existing state buildings must reduce energy consumption 20 percent by 2010 and 30 percent by 2015, based on 2003-04 levels under a new law now in place. The law (S668) also requires state agencies and institutions to file annual energy management plans, strategies, and reports on consumption.
Appointments
Senator Ed Jones and I have been appointed by President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight and Speaker Joe Hackney to serve as Co-Chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Mandatory Boating Safety Education. The Committee may examine and review the following:
1. The feasibility of requiring all persons to satisfy boating education requirements prior to operating a motorboat or personal watercraft in the state.
2. What persons boating education requirements should cover.
3. The advisability of phasing in boating education requirements.
4. The fiscal impact of imposing new boating education requirements.
5. Reciprocity of boating education requirements among and between jurisdictions.
6. Whether appropriate exemptions should be included in any boating education requirements.
7. Whether there should be a minimum age specified for boat operators.
8. Appropriate penalties for noncompliance with boating education requirements.
9. Any other information the Committee finds helpful in its deliberations.
The Committee shall submit a final report on the results of it study, including any proposed legislation, to the General Assembly before December 31, 2008.
Meetings/Events
I plan to attend the following meetings/events:
Please invite me to attend your county, city, community or civic, etc. meetings or events.
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.
Please remember that you can visit the General Assembly’s website to look up bills, view lawmaker biographies and access other information.