Legislative Update from Rep. Frank Iler – June 9, 2015

Last week in the N.C. House of Representatives we considered override votes on two bills Governor McCrory had vetoed, we passed a major Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) bill, and we discussed a major gun bill.

The weather in Raleigh last week was cloudy and rainy, while the General Assembly had the clouds of two vetoed bills hanging over it. One veto override vote was successful, while the other bill has not yet been considered.

House Bill 405 – Property Protection Act was up first in the House. It protects whistleblowers that report illegal and inhumane practices. It also protects business owners from unscrupulous investigators who take jobs under false pretenses to record practices in the non-public areas of companies. There was a lot of debate on the bill Wednesday, and it passed 79 – 36. This override vote required a three-fifths majority or 72 votes to pass, and it did. It now goes to the Senate for a vote.

Senate Bill 2 – Magistrates Recusal For Civil Ceremonies allows the magistrates’ offices in the counties to schedule weddings for all marriages so that magistrates that have religious objections to same-sex marriages do not have to perform the marriages or risk termination from their jobs. It was on the calendar for a veto override vote, but has not yet been taken up.

On Wednesday and Thursday we debated House Bill 909 – ABC Omnibus Legislation. The bill contained several changes to ABC laws. I looked at it as a jobs bill that helps some breweries and other businesses cater to their customers. It passed on two separate days by 72 – 44 and 79 – 32.

Another bill that has received a lot of discussion but not come up for a vote is House Bill 562 – Amend Firearm Laws. It makes several changes to existing laws, but the main one that has received the most discussion is the repeal of the pistol permit. This is a permit issued by county sheriffs that some feel duplicates the concealed carry permit in some ways. The sheriffs do not like doing away with this extra safeguard. Discussion is continuing on this controversial bill. I hope we have a final version soon, so that we can put this behind us.

This week the Senate continues to work on the budget. We hope to see their budget soon.