North Carolina Home Builders Association - Legislative Report


	Inside this issue
	• Week 14 Update • Very Important Reminder • Quote of the Week

	Week 14 Update
	Although you’d never know it based on the amount of action this week, we still have one more week until the crossover deadline! The General Assembly was in full throttle and NCHBA was there to keep things in line. We have some good news to report. On Tuesday, HB 116 Railroad Corridor Management, on its fourth appearance in the House Judiciary III committee, received a favorable report by one vote (Chair Ronnie Sutton, D-Robeson and one of the bill’s sponsors voted and broke the tie). While a favorable report was not what we were hoping for, the very close vote (with the committee’s most liberal members, Rep. Bill Faison, D-Orange and Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham joining the Republicans in voting against the bill), the railroad companies felt compelled to meet with NCHBA and try to work out a compromise. The bill is calendared for Monday, so negotiations are fast and furious. SB 44 Appeals of Quasi-Judicial Land Use Decisions passed both the Senate Judiciary II Committee and the full Senate. This bill, in its third session, is a much needed clarification on the process for land use appeals. HB 1490/SB 831 Extend Permits Regarding Land Development passed through committees in both the House and Senate with no objections. The bill was modified slightly to allow state issued permits held by local governments to be extended also. This change has no effect on development permits and helped the bills sail through their respective committees. The House version must be heard in the House Commerce Committee before reaching the floor. The Senate version should be reported in on Monday and heard in the full Senate Tuesday or Wednesday. Two local bills (which NCHBA opposed) crashed and burned in the House Local Government I committee on Wednesday! HB 1007 Harnett/ Subdivision Recreation Facilities and HB 771 Towns/ Ordinances Regulating Trees both failed to receive a favorable report, due in no small part to the solid lobbying effort by NCHBA staff. Both bills were introduced by members of that committee, which makes the task of getting a NO vote even harder. HB 1007, introduced (by request) by Rep. Jimmy Love (D-Lee) would have allowed Harnett County to expand their authority in using fees-in-lieu. Members of the committee that were voting NO were able to ask enough questions to stall the meeting while Cady Thomas of the Realtors and our own Jessi Hayes chased down (in high heels) two committee members and brought them to the meeting to secure the opposing votes! HB 771 was an even sweeter victory for NCHBA as the request was for unconstrained tree removal authority for the Towns of Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville in Mecklenburg County. Coincidently, Wednesday was Town Hall day and the Mayors and Managers of all three towns were allowed to address the committee and were present for the vote. NCHBA was persuasive in showing that no other municipalities in recent sessions have been granted such broad authority. The committee agreed and the motion for a favorable report failed! HB 239 Restore Water Quality in Jordan Reservoir (previously named Disapprove Jordan Lake Rules) passed the House Environment Committee without prejudice on Tuesday. This action means that the bill moves to the next committee (House Judiciary I) without a favorable report. The reason for the “without prejudice” action is that a committee substitute was distributed at the meeting and committee members did not feel like they had adequate time to read and understand the bill. The bill makes significant changes to the EMC’s rules regarding wastewater treatment plant improvement and the existing development requirements. The changes were primarily negotiated by the cities and, as usual, were called “major concessions” by the environmental groups. In actuality, of the 12 Jordan Lake Rules and over 100 pages of requirements, the committee substitute involves three rules and consists of five changes. Considering the burden and cost to local governments and the private sector, and the statewide precedent that now exists for controlling stormwater from existing development, it isn’t really much of a compromise for the environmentalists at all! NCHBA does support the bill, but will continue to seek resolution of the last remaining issue – nutrient buydown limits – before the end of session. Finally, HB 323 Prevent the Theft of Scrap Metals and HB 749 Use of Cisterns in Construction/Renovation have passed through the House and are in the Senate for consideration.
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	Very Important Reminder
	NCHBA’s 2^nd Quarter meeting and Legislative Day is June 9-10. Please make plans to come to the Legislative reception on Tuesday night, June 9th from 6:00pm-8:00pm at the NC Museum of History. This is a great chance to meet your House and Senate members and begin a dialog on our most pressing issues. Then, from 9:00-noon on the 10^th, you can walk the halls of the General Assembly and ask members to vote favorably on our issues. See our website for sign-up information. We can’t wait to see you in Raleigh!
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Quote of the Week

"We don't fish for whales where I'm from. We fish for minnows."

Sen. Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson, expressing frustration that state economic development efforts seem focused on big business and not small business. On behalf of NCHBA’s small business owners, thank you Sen. Apodaca!

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Week 14 Update

Very Important Reminder

Quote of the Week