Legislative Update from Rep. Frank Iler – June 29, 2015
Last week in the North Carolina House of Representatives we voted not to concur with the Senate version of the budget, we passed a major Medicaid reform bill, and we had another outstanding page from Brunswick County.
On Tuesday of last week, the House took up the Senate substitute for House Bill 97 – 2015 Appropriations Act. This is the budget bill, which we had sent to the Senate in May. The Senate budget contained in this bill is quite different from what we sent over to them. The provisions occupy over 500 pages, compared with less than 300 we had in the House budget. The education section had taken out teacher assistants and left out the 2% increase for veteran teachers, which we had included. There are also major changes in sales tax policy and in the transportation section. The entire House voted to NOT concur on it by a vote of 112 – 0. This will set up a conference committee to negotiate the differences.
We also took up and passed a major Medicaid reform bill, House Bill 372 – 2015 Medicaid Modernization. This bill further organizes Medicaid funding through Provider Led Entities or PLEs, which it is hoped will lead to more standardized payment systems and efficiencies. Again, the Senate version of this bill is different from ours. So we expect negotiations on this, also. It passed the House 105 – 6.
The House and Senate appropriations chairs are working on a continuing resolution, or CR, that will allow the state to operate without a budget until one is passed. It was being negotiated last week up until Thursday, when it seemed an agreement could not be reached. So, we expect to see a CR on Monday or Tuesday of this week, since the budget deadline is midnight Tuesday. I have let our leadership know that I will have great difficulty supporting a CR or budget without the teacher assistants or veteran teacher raise. Many of my colleagues feel the same way. It is rumored that the date on the CR could be as late as September, which assumes that budget negotiations could well last until then.
An issue which is not now in legislation, but is a local concern, is the recent incidence of shark attacks on our coast, specifically in Oak Island. The Division of Marine Fisheries has recommended, but not mandated, that fishermen not chum for sharks and other fish from the piers or shoreline. I will be encouraging our pier owners and towns to take whatever action they can to enforce a ban on this practice, particularly during swimming seasons. I understand that Wrightsville Beach already has an ordinance to that effect. I will be researching to see if legislative action is needed, but hope it can be handled locally.
Last week we were fortunate to have another House page from South Brunswick High School. Hogan Disbrow, son of Jason and Kristie Disbrow, is a rising sophomore at South. He did a great job as a House page, and it was good to see him all week.