The North Carolina General Assembly gave its overwhelming approval yesterday to a $23 billion state budget that, among other things, increases education investments by more than $700 million, raises teacher pay for the fourth consecutive year, provides needed disaster relief to communities affected by Hurricane Matthew, helps lower-income people by further expanding the state’s zero-tax bracket, and adds $363.9 million to the state’s savings reserve account. […]
Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) held a joint press conference Monday to announce details of the roughly $23 billion budget and tax relief agreement reached between the state House and Senate. As a result of responsible budgeting decisions, millions of middle-class families and job-creating small businesses will keep more […]
The North Carolina House of Representatives released highlights of its balanced budget proposal for the 2017-2018 biennium on Thursday, submitting a plan that continues to advance successful government investment strategies contributing to revenue surpluses, rainy day reserves, rapid economic and population growth this decade. The budget highlights released on Thursday were provided to area appropriations subcommittees […]
Those who know me well know I have conflicting views on the legislative process. There are some things I like and some things I hate. The basis for these conflicting views was pretty evident over the past two weeks. It is easy to describe my positive views. There is nothing like the feeling of successfully […]
“If bills were clothing, then North Carolina lawmakers just finished setting out the few items they can see themselves wearing and sending the rest to the attic.” —The Associated Press’s Gary D. Robertson’s observation on the NC legislature’s Crossover Deadline Twelve days ago, the General Assembly hit the crossover deadline, with more than 200 bills […]
A new state law passed last session helps keep small-scale urban beekeepers from being regulated out of existence by their own towns. A provision in the “Local Government Regulatory Reform of 2015” (House Bill 44) prohibits cities and counties from enforcing any ordinance or resolution that prohibits folks from owning or operating five or fewer beehives. The bill […]
September is a big month as far as gubernatorial proclamations go. The goal of a proclamation is to bring greater awareness and understanding of a particular subject area, including heritage and culture, tourism, the economy, and public health matters — just to name a few. Governor Pat McCrory has proclaimed September as Alcohol And Drug Addiction […]
A few minutes before midnight last night (Friday), the General Assembly’s Short Session came to an end. It was a peculiar ending in that a local bill relating to the redistricting of the Asheville City Council seemed to trigger the legislature to just fold up its tent and go home. The primary purpose of the […]
Late last night the General Assembly released the Joint Conference Committee Report on the Budget (Money Report) and the Conference Committee Substitute for House Bill 1030 (Special Provisions). These two documents detail the proposed adjustments to North Carolina’s FY 2016-17 budget. After many long days and nights, the budget is finally done. The Conference Committee […]
Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) held a joint press conference yesterday to announce details of the $22.34 billion budget agreement reached between Senate and House conferees this past weekend. The compromise budget includes a responsible 2.8 percent spending increase and achieves both chambers’ shared goals with Governor Pat McCrory of […]
As the legislative session winds down, legislators and lobbyists wonder when exactly the session will be over and what bills will be taken up before adjournment. Hardly a day goes by without some lobbyist frantically calling to find out whether I think some bill will be taken up in the House. A few years ago, […]
The clearest signs that the legislative session is almost over are increased activity to reach a budget compromise and a flurry of activity in Senate committees. Those signs were evident on Friday as budget negotiators shuttled back and forth between the House and Senate sides of the Legislative Building and almost every Senate committee met, […]
Yesterday, the North Carolina House of Representatives passed its version of the state’s budget for the second year of this session’s biennium. The spending plan cleared the chamber by an overwhelming margin, with a bipartisan vote of 103-12. Representative McGrady, one of the House’s Chief Appropriations Chairs (largely responsible for crafting the plan) voted with every other […]
Here’s a snazzy graphic from the good folks at Farm Bureau North Carolina. From their website post: The North Carolina Legislative “Short Session” is underway! As legislators settle in for the session, the timing is perfect to talk about the significant role agriculture plays in North Carolina. Today, we’ll highlight a few key facts about […]
In October of 2015, Governor Pat McCrory signed into law the Connect NC Bond Act, giving voters across the state the opportunity to approve a $2 billion bond during the primary election. The bond referendum that will be on tomorrow’s ballot was passed in the legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bond has also received a […]
Legislation sponsored by Representative McGrady and signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory over the summer ensures that North Carolina’s farm animals are covered by a uniform standard of care throughout the state — by prohibiting cities and counties from enacting their own local ordinances in this regard. The responsibility for determining these standards now […]
By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation. Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and — Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint […]
The North Carolina House of Representatives took its last vote of the Long Session at 4:12 am on September 30. The vote came on a technical corrections bill, Senate Bill 119 [GSC Technical Corrections 2015]. 37 members weren’t around to vote and the bill passed because the remaining Members were assured that the bill just […]
With three days left in the session, just about everybody is grumpy. Legislators expected to be home months ago, and can’t wait for the session to be over. Lobbyists expected legislators would be gone, and they’d have an easier routine dealing with some interim committees that might meet. Staff haven’t had a rest, and some […]
High Profile, Will Pass Bills House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger announced late last week that the legislature would adjourn on September 30, bringing an end to one of the longer legislative sessions. Before the session ends, there appears to be consensus on the “must pass” bills, including bills reforming […]
Tonight, the North Carolina House of Representatives passed a bipartisan State Budget by a vote of 80-35. Representative McGrady, as one of the House’s Chief Appropriations Chairs largely responsible for crafting the budget, voted with all of his Republican colleagues and nine moderate Democrats in support of the plan. The budget, which covers funding for Fiscal Year 2015-2016 and Fiscal Year […]
A week ago, the legislature was working on its budget. There was light at the end of the tunnel on the budget, but not a clear path forward on a myriad of other issues. This week, the budget has already passed the Senate with bipartisan support, and in votes late today and early Friday the […]
Representative McGrady joined House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate Leader Phil Berger this afternoon at a joint press conference to announce details of the $21.735 billion budget agreement reached by members of the House and Senate this past weekend. As one of the “big chairs” of the House Appropriations Committee, Representative McGrady was one of just […]
Speaker of the House Tim Moore released the following statement on the passage of House Bill 943, the Connect NC Bond Act of 2015 in the House this morning: “The House Bond Proposal is a plan that invests in North Carolina’s future in a proactive and fiscally conservative manner. Planning for our future is a […]
The House, having passed its budget a few weeks ago, is now waiting on the Senate to pass its budget so that negotiations between the two chambers can begin. [Editor’s Note: Click here for a comprehensive report comparing the House and Senate versions of the proposed budget, as prepared by the non-partisan Fiscal Research staff.] […]
[youtube_sc url=”https://youtu.be/C_O1V2nRjKQ” width=”590″ modestbranding=”1″ autohide=”1″ fs=”1″ border=”1″ hd=”1″] Legislation has been introduced in the General Assembly directing the North Carolina Commission of Public Health to establish rules governing plants which accept charitable donations from hunters of venison to feed the hungry in North Carolina. Every year, hunters harvest deer from an over-populated habitats, meat processors produce high-protein deer […]
The House adopted its permanent rules (House Resolution 481) just before heading home for Easter break. Technically, we are still in session next week, but no votes will be taken and no committees will meet. Most members will probably not come to Raleigh, although the House Appropriations chairs, including me, will be working on the […]
[youtube_sc url=”https://youtu.be/J5_ZMx_9u10″ width=”590″ modestbranding=”1″ autohide=”1″ fs=”1″ border=”1″ hd=”1″] Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative McGrady (House Bill 309) would allow the personal consumption and limited sale of unpasteurized milk (and milk products) for people who own (or partially own) a lactating animal, such as a cow, goat, or sheep. According to the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense […]
There’s nothing quite more thrilling for state government geeks (like us) than the annual publication of the General Assembly’s Summaries of Substantive Ratified Legislation. This weedy tome, of which only a few hundred are printed, is produced at the end of each legislative session by the good folks of the Research Division. The Research Division is a non-partisan central office […]