• • NCHBA moves two more important bills to the Governor for signature; budget negotiations continue
• • Bills on the Move
• • New Laws
• • Quote of the Week

NCHBA moves two more important bills to the Governor for signature; budget negotiations continue

This week saw the passage of one of NCHBA’s top legislative priorities!  SB 831 Extend Certain Development Approvals passed in the Senate and is on the Governor’s desk, awaiting her signature.  NCHBA is proud of its efforts to move forward legislation that extends all state and local permits related to development for up to three years while the economy recovers.  Also passing the Senate this week was SB 698 City/County/Sanitary District Fees/Internet. The bill is awaiting the Governor’s signature.

It’s like Déjà vu all over again!  According to reports from insiders, the House and Senate have agreed on another budget package.  Sources say that this package looks a lot like the one agreed upon last week and vetoed by the Governor.  However, other reports say that the Governor has tentatively okayed this one.  All reports have confirmed that an across the board sales tax increase is included (after all, it is the only source of revenue that can raise $800 million).  It is likely that a surcharge on income tax (or a tax on taxes) will be included, but there is no certainty as to which taxpayers will be subject to the surcharge.  Whether there IS actually a budget agreement or not remains to be seen.  What is certain is that the budget crisis isn’t going to get better if the General Assembly remains in Raleigh much longer at an estimated cost to taxpayers of $1 million per day !

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Bills on the Move

• HB 102 Continuing Budget Authority passed again…but for kicks, the Senate attempted to leave the expiration date open-ended.  This proposal was summarily rejected by the House!
• HB 1058 Increase Statutory Homestead Exemption was ratified and awaits the Governor’s signature.
• HB 1151 Residential Lead Based Paint Hazards/Renovations passed the House and will be heard in the Senate Commerce Committee next week.
• HB 1335 Moratorium on EMC Rule Making was amended to apply only to EMC rule making for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) .  The bill passed 2nd and 3rd reading in the Senate and moves on to the House where, likely, it will not see the light of day.
• SB 44 Appeals of Quasi-Judicial Land Use Decisions  - the Senate concurred with the House changes and the bill awaits the Governor’s signature.
• SB 97 Critical Infrastructure Assessment Changes passed 2nd reading in the House and awaits 3rd reading next week.
• SB 475 Amend Carrboro Charter/Conserve Energy/Water passed 2nd and 3rd reading in the House and will go back to the Senate for concurrence.
• SB 600 Condemnation of Conservation Agreements passed 2nd and 3rd reading in the House, received concurrence by the Senate and awaits the Governor’s signature.
• SB 698 City/County/Sanitary District Fees/Internet awaits the Governor’s signature!
• SB 810 Affordable Housing/No Discrimination passed 2nd and 3rd reading in the House and goes to the Senate for concurrence.
• SB 831 Extend Certain Development Approvals awaits the Governor’s signature!
• SB 882 Statute of Repose/Product Liability was ratified and awaits the Governor’s signature.
• SB 1007 Amend Home Inspector Licensure Laws received a favorable report in the House Commerce Committee and moves on to the House Finance Committee.

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New Laws

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Quote of the Week

“We don’t want to waste a good recession!”

Jack Cecil, President of the NC Biotechnology Center and Member of the UNC Board of Governors, noted while speaking to the Senate Finance committee about modernizing the state’s tax code.

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