Finalizing the State Budget
The House and Senate have appointed conferees to work out differences in the budget (I am honored to be appointed as a conferee on the House side). There are a few disparities that we are working to resolve, such as funding for teacher assistants; driver's education funding; Medicaid reform; changes to the state tax code; and changes to the local sales tax redistribution.
It is normal for the House and Senate to have disagreements when it comes to the state budget. When you are dealing with a multi-billion dollar spending plan, legislators are not going to agree on every detail. Our goal is to reconcile our differences and pass a balanced budget that spends taxpayer dollars responsibly.
Completing Committee Work
House and Senate committees are completing their work as we approach the end of session this year. We are working to move bills before the session adjourns. Although a lot of focus is on the state budget, there are numerous bills that are still being considered.
Regulatory Reform Bill
HB 651 - Appraisal Board Recordkeeping and Background Checks - passed the legislature last week and will soon be signed by Governor Pat McCrory. This is a regulatory reform bill that provides relief for small businesses and independent contractors. I am honored to be the lead sponsor of this bill and I am pleased that it passed the legislature with strong bipartisan support.
Note: I have another regulatory reform bill (HB 126 - Mortgage Origination Support Registration) that is currently under consideration in the Senate.
When I ran for office, I cited regulatory reform as a top priority. This is an issue that I will continue to focus on in the legislature. We need to maintain a sound business environment in order to create jobs and grow the economy.
Presidential Primary Moves to March
The North Carolina presidential primary has been moved to March 15th. This was done in order to give us a seat at the table in the presidential primary process. Currently, the presidential primaries are often decided by the time North Carolina holds its primary, which is in May. By moving the presidential primary to March, our citizens will now have an influence as to who the political parties choose to be their presidential nominee.
Connect NC Bond
Governor Pat McCrory is traveling the state to promote his "Connect NC" bond, which would be a roughly $1.5 billion general obligation bond to provide funding for transportation projects. We have not had a general obligation bond since the year 2000 and interest rates are currently low, which means it may not be a bad time to consider this proposal. The legislature is working to see if we can come up with a responsible plan. Any general obligation bond the legislature proposes would have to be approved by voters on a statewide ballot.
Award Recognition
It was an honor to receive the "2015 Charter Champion Award" from the NC Association of Public Charter Schools. This award was in recognition of work that I have done to help support our public charter school system. My belief is that we should support all areas of public education and provide children with more opportunities to learn.
Historic Gibsonville Caboose Dedication
Earlier this month I had the honor of participating in a ribbon cutting for the historic railroad caboose in Gibsonville. The caboose symbolizes the history of Gibsonvile, which derives its name from Joseph Gibson, who was involved in expanding the railroad system in North Carolina. The caboose also reminds us of the important role that transportation plays in driving economic development.
More Updates Soon
Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the end of session. Meanwhile, don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns. I hope you are having an excellent summer.
Quote to Remember
"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary."
- Vince Lombardi
Quote to Remember
"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary."
- Vince Lombardi
