Legislative Update from Rep. Frank Iler – August 31, 2015
Last week in the North Carolina House of Representatives we passed an extension of the budget deadline of August 31st, we passed a bill to regulate Uber and other transportation network companies, we passed a bill to provide more directional highway signs, and we had a couple of high public officials to visit Brunswick County.
As the weather in Raleigh cooled down a little last week, the budget talks heated up. While the senior appropriations and finance chairs have been talking for weeks, we in the different budget areas finally got the green light to negotiate with our Senate counterparts. Being a transportation appropriations co-chair, I began meeting with Senator Rabon and others to finalize the transportation budget.
While this was going on, a new continuing resolution (CR) was brought to the House and Senate floors. House Bill 18 – Continuing Budget Authority was passed in the House on Thursday. It provides state spending at the same level as the last CR and extends the deadline to September 18th. It is the third continuing resolution we have passed this summer due to not having a state budget by June 30th.
While budget talks were going on, there was other business to be done on some transportation bills. Senate Bill 541 – Regulate Transportation Network Companies, sponsored by Senators Rabon and McKissick, came to the house floor for a vote. It provides that transportation network companies, such as Uber, must obtain a permit from the state and must have insurance. It also lists rules that must be followed, such as how the online payment must be made and receipted and many others to protect the public. The companies have welcomed this bill, due to the fact that it gives them more credibility and gives the public more confidence in using these services.
Another transportation bill came to the House floor on Wednesday. Senate Bill 304 – Administration of Logo Sign Program simply allows the Department of Transportation to erect logo signs on partially controlled-access highways like they are now doing on fully controlled-access highways. So you may be seeing directional logo signs for gas, food, and lodging on highways other than the interstate quality highways.
Not all the action last week on my schedule was in Raleigh. On Monday I met with the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) committee that is part of the Grand Strand Area Transportation Study (GSATS) committee. This is a federally designated group that crosses the state line and plans transportation needs for a large portion of Brunswick County, as well as the Myrtle Beach area all the way to Georgetown, South Carolina. They are working hard to get a connection between Highway 31 in South Carolina and Highway 17 in Brunswick County.
Also, on Monday Governor Pat McCrory was in Brunswick County, and it was good to see him down here. On Thursday, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, our former Speaker of the House, spoke to a large fundraising dinner in Brunswick County. I was fortunate to get to introduce him.
This week we anticipate further budget negotiations between the House and Senate. Hopefully we can finish this week and vote the budget out by the new deadline of September 18th. I am definitely ready to get home full time and spend more time getting around the county.