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The members of the 2021 General Assembly reconvened in Raleigh on Wednesday to kick off the legislative “long-session.” The long session is the first of a biannual legislative process that allows members to introduce legislation without restrictions. Over the next several months, more than 1,000 bills will be introduced by 170 members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

At the start of the session, a record number of builders were sworn as legislators. Several of these builders are long time members of NCHBA and have years of experience in the home building industry. Their wealth of knowledge will only help to continue to make North Carolina a great place to build homes. The House members include Mark Brody (R-Union), Steve Tyson (R-Craven), Matthew Winslow (R-Franklin), Larry Potts (R-Davidson), Jeff Zenger (R-Forsyth) and Senator Steve Jarvis (R-Davidson).

The Republicans hold majorities in both chambers. In the House, the breakdown is 67-53 in favor or the GOP. The Senate is 27-23 with the GOP holding control. However, neither chamber has a vetoproof majority if and when the Governor objects to legislation.

The largest issues facing legislative leaders and the Governor will all center around COVID-19 relief and the effects that the pandemic will have on the budget. The legislature and the Governor have not come to an agreement on the state budget since 2018. Instead, the state has relied on several “mini budgets” that have ensured that state operations continue without interruption.

In 2021, NCHBA’s team will continue to work with legislators on behalf of our members in an effort to ease the regulatory burden on home builders across North Carolina. The last several sessions have produced extraordinary results for the home building industry, saving builders millions of dollars in taxes and regulations. With regulations touching nearly every aspect of land development and home construction, NCHBA will continue to scale back on unnecessary barriers that prevent the industry from reaching its full market potential.

The legislative process will pause over the next two weeks as legislators and staff take care of several logistical formalities. Leaders in both the House and Senate chambers will work with members on committee and office assignments. The next scheduled session will be held on Wednesday, January 27th. 

This post was written by NC HBA.