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Legislation Tracker: Intergovernmental Relations
| Bill: | HB878
| | Sponsors: | Stam (R37); Lewis (R53); Harrell, J. (D90); Blue (D33) | | Title: | EMINENT DOMAIN | | Comments: | This bill is an act to amend the constitution of North Carolina to prohibit condemnation of private property to be conveyed to other private owners for economic developments and to provide for the payments of just compensation with right to trial by jury in all condemnation cases. |
| Bill: | HB1113
| | Sponsors: | Glazier (D45); Faison (D50) | | Title: | STATE TORT CLAIMS/PUBLIC DUTY DOCTRINE |
| Bill: | HB1651
| | Sponsors: | Ross (D38) | | Title: | RALEIGH SUBDIVISION DEFINITION |
| Bill: | HB2172
| | Sponsors: | Owens (D1) | | Title: | HONOR C. E. FOY | | Position: | Support
| | Comments: | Association staff is working with legislative leadership to have the resolution enacted in the House and Senate chambers on County Assembly Day, which will be held June 10 in Raleigh. We hope to fill the galleries of each chamber with county commissioners and officials to help celebrate this momentous occasion. More information on County Assembly Day and a registration form are available on the NCACC’s Web site at http://www.ncacc.org/countyassemblyday.html. |
| Bill: | HB2314
| | Sponsors: | Cole (D65) | | Title: | VOLUNTARY COUNTY PARTICIPATION/DOT.-AB | | Priority: | Medium
| | Category: | Defense
| | Comments: | This bill codifies and expands on items that were included in S1513, which passed into law during the 2007 long session and gave counties authority to participate in the financing of roads. It passed the House on July 2 without harmful language that would allow the State Board of Transportation to base funding decisions on whether a local government has elected to participate in financing the project. The House committee substitute stipulated that voluntary participation by a county or municipality cannot cause any disadvantage to another project elsewhere. |
| Bill: | HB2350
| | Sponsors: | McLawhorn (D9); Bell (D21); Warren, R. (D88); Spear (D2) | | Title: | STUDY LEO 25-YEAR RETIREMENT | | Comments: | The bill would allow law enforcement officers to retire with full benefits after 25 years of service, unlike other local government employees. The Association has traditionally been opposed to this enhanced benefit for law enforcement personnel. The bill was converted to a study. |
| Bill: | HB2363
| | Sponsors: | Ross (D38); Carney (D102); Allen, L. (D49); Harrison (D57) | | Title: | CONGESTION RELIEF/INTERMODAL TRANSPORT FUND |
| Bill: | HB2367
| | Sponsors: | Luebke (D30); Goforth (D115); Steen (R76); Dollar (R36) | | Title: | INVOLUNTARY ANNEXATION MORATORIUM | | Position: | Support
| | Priority: | Medium
| | Comments: | The bill implements a nine-month suspension on all involuntary annexations, including those in which cities have already taken steps to initiate the process. No action can take place on any annexations during the nine-month period from August 31, 2008, through May 31, 2009. The moratorium includes cities that have already started the annexation process through either a resolution of intent or consideration. The bill must still be considered by the Senate, which was not involved in the legislative study commission that originally recommended the moratorium. The NCACC Board of Directors supports a moratorium on new involuntary annexations and the formation of a study committee to further examine the issue of annexations and the impact on citizens and local governments. |
| Bill: | HB2758
| | Sponsors: | Wainwright (D12); Dollar (R36); Coleman (D39); Hurley (R70) | | Title: | INVESTMENT AUTHORITY TO RETIREMENT BOARD |
| Bill: | SB212
| | Sponsors: | Kinnaird (D23) | | Title: | LOCAL PARK AND REC PARTICIPANT RECORDS | | Comments: | This bill exempts certain identifying records for juveniles who are participating in local government sponsored recreation leagues from the public records laws. |
| Bill: | SB942
| | Sponsors: | Dalton (D46) | | Title: | PROHIBIT RESTRICTING NEWSPAPER DISTRIBUTION |
| Bill: | SB1256
| | Sponsors: | Rand (D19) | | Title: | 2007 STUDIES BILL |
| Bill: | SB1271
| | Sponsors: | Snow (D50) | | Title: | FIREFIGHTER/EMS PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS | | Position: | Oppose
| | Comments: | This bill remains in the House Local Government II committee, but its chances of movement this session remain slim. The bill passed the Senate largely along party lines in 2007. It first came up in the House Local Government II Committee on Wednesday, June 18, but failed to receive a favorable report. The bill would require counties to deduct union dues for certain personnel if requested. The bill originally targeted firefighters, EMS workers and police officers, but the scope of the bill was expanded in committee to include any employee organization with at least 2,000 members statewide, at least 500 of whom are law enforcement officers. The bill is part of a larger unionization effort being led by the State Employees Association of North Carolina. |
| Bill: | SB1507
| | Sponsors: | Boseman (D9) | | Title: | HOUSING CONDITIONS/INSPECTIONS | | Comments: | Numerous counties and cities have established minimum housing codes via local act, while other local governments with no such standard. The bill sets a standard, statewide minimum housing code that requires a landlord to ensure “fit and habitable” conditions and defines several conditions as “imminently dangerous” that require “immediate repair or remedy,” while requiring local governments to have probable cause before inspecting residential and non-residential structures. Local governments may perform periodic inspections and routine inspections for landlords who are habitual offenders. The bill, as amended, grandfathers existing local government ordinances and programs. S1507 was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee on May 17. |
| Bill: | SB2056
| | Sponsors: | McKissick (D20) | | Title: | COURT FEE EXEMPTION | | Position: | Support
| | Comments: | This bill passed the House on third reading 113-1 on Thursday and will be sent to Gov. Mike Easley. The bill repeals a special provision included in the 2007-09 budget passed last session that forces counties to pay various court fees up front. The provision went into effect July 1 and particularly affects child support services personnel, who sometimes in the interest of an abused child, for example, require a court action late in the night and do not have funds in hand. |
| Bill: | SB2064
| | Sponsors: | Hoyle (D43) | | Title: | OPEN GOVERNMENT ACT | | Position: | Oppose
| | Comments: | The bill would require local governments to pay "reasonable" attorneys' fees for the opposition if a local government is sued because it refused to grant a public records request and ordered to turn over the public records. It creates a Department of Justice "Open Government Unit" that would mediate public record and open government disputes. The bill was passed by the Senate on Monday, but it does not appear that it will be given a hearing in the House this session. |
| Bill: | SB2092
| | Sponsors: | Atwater (D18) | | Title: | REPEAL TELEPHONE REQUIREMENT | | Position: | Support
| | Comments: | The House adopted an amendment during budget debate to return this responsibility to the state. The Senate budget also repeals the provision adopted last July that makes counties responsible for this cost and directs the Administrative Office of the Courts to find the funds needed. This unfunded mandate would have cost counties $3.7 million in 2008-09 and a similar amount in succeeding years. |
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