North Carolina Home Builders Association - Legislative Report


	Inside this issue
	• Week 18 Update • Legislation on the Move • Comings and Goings • Quote of the Week • NCHBA Legislative Day Reminder

	Week 18 Update
	Eighteen legislative weeks down at the General Assembly and a state budget has still not been agreed upon. This poses a dilemma for the General Assembly as the state’s fiscal year ends June 30! In past years when no budget agreement was reached, both bodies would pass a continuing resolution that would keep the spending levels in place until a new budget agreement was reached. Due to the huge budget gap this year ($4.6 billion following the April revenue projections), legislators will have difficulty crafting a continuing budget resolution to keep the state going. If the General Assembly approves a resolution to keep spending at current levels, the budget gap gets even wider. But, if they start negotiating a resolution with budget cuts, it could be an all-out war. Well, that’s why they get paid the big bucks! What this means for NCHBA is that when the General Assembly finally does agree on a budget, the decision may be “swift and terrible” and then they will leave. Whatever legislation is still waiting in committee, waits until next year. While this is only one theory, it is the one we are operating under, and NCHBA is working diligently to pass our priority legislation.
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	Legislation on the Move
	HB 85 Increase Raffle Prize Limit, which allows real estate and homes to be used as prizes, was enacted as Session Law 2009-49. HB 852 Defer Tax on Builder Inventory (NCHBA priority issue!) passed the House Commerce Committee and now moves on to the House Finance Committee. HB 1011 Raleigh Stormwater Assessment, which would require the city to assess residents directly for failing stormwater control devices, passed the House and is now in the Senate. HB 120 Public Municipal Campaigns (NCHBA opposes) was sent from the Senate floor back to committee. SB 141 Limit Well Water Testing for VOCs passed out of House committees and will be before the full House next week. SB 1007 Amend Home Inspector Licensing Laws (NCHBA supports) passed the Senate Finance Committee last week and will, likely, be before the full Senate next week. SB 1027 Zoning Change/Property Owner Notice would require a rezoning that is done by someone other than the owner to notify the owner (yes, we need a law for this!). SB 1027 will be before the full House next week.
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	Comings and Goings
	Earlier this week, House member Cary Allred (R-Alamance) resigned his seat amid allegations of attending session drunk and inappropriately hugging a female page. Also announced this week was the resignation of Rep. Bonner Stiller (R-Brunswick). Stiller, from Oak Island, cited family and business priorities as the reasons he could not continue serving. Replacements for both these members, as well as a replacement for Rep. Dan Blue (D-Wake), who was sworn in as a Senator (filling the seat of Sen. Vernon Malone after his death in April) will be announced soon. Nothing like joining the General Assembly in time to do little but vote on the budget during one of the most contentious budget years in recent history. Returning, briefly, to the House this week was Rep. Hugh Holliman following lung surgery and next week, Rep. Becky Carney (D-Mecklenburg) is expected to return to the House after her heart attack in early April.
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Quote of the Week

“If I can take my dogs (to Washington), then I may run for Congress.”

Parting remarks made by Rep. Cary Allred upon his resignation. Allred frequently brought his dogs to Raleigh while the legislature was in session. They stayed in his office – good dogs!

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	NCHBA Legislative Day Reminder
	NCHBA’s 2nd Quarter Board Meeting and Legislative Conference will be held in Raleigh on Tuesday, June 9, and Wednesday, June 10. The Legislative Reception will be on Tuesday evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the N.C. Museum of History in downtown Raleigh. Legislative visits will take place on Wednesday morning. Please see the NCHBA Web site for more details and the registration form. We need our members to attend and lobby for issues important to the home building industry!
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Week 18 Update

Legislation on the Move

Comings and Goings

Quote of the Week

NCHBA Legislative Day Reminder