Legislative Update from Rep. Frank Iler – May 19, 2014

Although the General Assembly kicked off last week, things began to heat up before the gavel came down at noon on Wednesday.  There were various committees and meetings which took place Monday and Tuesday all over Raleigh.  Of course, most of them were in the Legislative Building and the Legislative Office Building.  Approximately 300 bills were filed which covered a variety of subjects, including taxes, education, transportation, and local issues.

As I arrived in Raleigh on Tuesday, there was an important committee meeting on the Affordable Care Act taking place.  As I had gotten a late notice of the meeting, I arrived just in time to learn that it had recessed without voting on its final report to the House.  This is a type of report that most interim study committees adopt before opening day of the session.  We did not have a quorum present to vote on the final report.  After trying again twice in the afternoon, there was not a quorum, so the committee was adjourned without a report.  This seemed to be a sign of this unusual week to come.

When we convened for the first session at noon on Wednesday, the main topic was a resolution honoring NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  We honored NASCAR legends Maurice Petty, Tim Flock, Dale Jarrett, Jack Ingram and Fireball Roberts alongside Rusty Wallace, Ned Jarrett and Richard Childress for NASCAR’s contribution to North Carolina’s economy as the first order of business. Many speeches were made honoring the drivers, owners, and crew chiefs in the Hall of Fame, and the resolution passed unanimously.

The more serious work of the General Assembly continued far from the House and Senate chamber floors.  Bills were prepared for introduction, and many were filed on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Dozens had their first readings on the floor and sent to committees.  There are many more ready to be filed and introduced in the coming week.

Some of the bills of interest to our citizens are included below.  They have only been filed, introduced, read onto the floor, and assigned to a committee.  House Bill 1061 – Replace Common Core to Meet NC’s Standards proposes to phase out Common Core in our public schools, so that it can be replaced by state standards over the next few years.  This would fit my idea that “North Carolina can do better” and I may become a co-sponsor of this bill.

House Bill 1064 – Restore Senior Citizen CC Tuition Waiver would restore the tuition waiver that our senior citizens formerly had at Community Colleges.  House Bill 1059 – Take Venus Trap/Crime/ New Hanover County makes the theft of Venus Flytraps and other exotic plants from public land or land of another person a felony rather than a misdemeanor.  I hope to add Brunswick County to this bill and co-sponsor it.

I have several bills which I introduced concerning transportation issues.  These were the result of the Joint Transportation Oversight Committee.  They are mainly adjustments to statutes requested by the NC Dept. of Transportation and approved in our committee report.

Although no floor votes took place on these dozens of bills, I anticipate a flurry of committee meetings and floor votes over the next two weeks.  I will attempt to keep you informed of bills of interest.  You may follow the NC General Assembly on line at www.ncleg.net.