About the district: Trudy Wade’s new district begins in the northeast corner of Guilford County and wraps entirely around Greensboro, circumventing central High Point and picking up a few Greensboro precincts in the northwest.
Committee appointments: Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources (co-chair); Appropriations on Natural and Economic Resources (co-chair); State and Local Government (vice-chair)
Terms: 2
Bills: 20, 17 as primary sponsor
Highlights:
SB 36 — Greensboro City Council Changes (with Krawiec)
“An act to clarify the form of government, method of election, and determination of election results in the city of Greensboro.” This is the infamous bill that restructures Greensboro city government.
SB 66 — Amend Environmental Laws 2015
“An act to amend various environmental laws.” This bill puts us in an interstate mining compact with other unnamed states.
SB 94 — Education Simplification Amendment
This makes sweeping changes to the way we administrate public education in the state by abolishing the state Board of Education and creating a Dept. of Education that falls under the executive branch.
SB 210 — Notice Publication by Counties and Cities
Allows cities and counties to post public notices on the internet, as opposed to paid-circulation newspapers.
SB 453 — Regulatory Reform Act of 2015
This is huge bill, some of it innocuous — it repeals a law making it illegal to use indecent language on public highways, for instance. But it touches on legislative appointments, state-issued cell phones, small business, criminal justice, motor vehicles, education and energy. There’s a whole section on “environmental self-audit privilege and limited immunity,” and another that repeals environmental reporting requirements.
SB 480 — Uniform Political Activity/Employers
Teachers can’t run for office or work on political campaigns.
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Forsyth County
REP. DEBRA CONRAD (R-FORSYTH), DISTRICT 74
Allows the principal of a private school that is located in Forsyth County and that receives no public funding to adopt a policy allowing certain employees to carry a handgun on school grounds. The employees would be required to hold a concealed handgun permit.
Prohibits local governments and law enforcement agencies from accepting anything other than state-issued ID or valid passport for purposes of determining a person’s immigration status. Also strikes the exemption for temporary employees under the federal E-verify program; instead, farmworkers, independent contractors and domestic workers would be exempt.
Prohibits sexual education programs administered by public school districts from teaching about emergency contraception, including Plan B, Preven and equivalent drugs.
Directs the state Department of Public Safety to create a pilot program for placing GPS tracking devices on domestic violence offenders.
About the district: Covering the northern urban portion of Winston-Salem, D-72 is bisected by University Parkway, a de facto racial and economic dividing line in the city. The district includes Smith Reynolds Airport and Wake Forest University.
Committee assignments: Education K-12 (vice-chair), Public Utility (vice-chair), University Board of Governors Nominating (vice-chair)
Terms: 2
Bills: 111, 36 as primary sponsor
Highlights:
HB 66 — Sales Tax Exemption for Datacenter Equipment
Exempts the sale of electricity for use at a data center with at least $75 million in total investment over a five-year period from the state sales tax.
HB 107 — Liquor Sales-Permitted Distilleries
Allows distilleries to sell spirituous liquor in closed containers to visitors for consumption off the premises. Also allows distillers to hold tastings “at trade shows, conventions, shopping malls, beverage festivals, street festivals, holiday festivals, agricultural festivals, balloon races [and] local fundraisers.”
HB 349 — Develop Broadband Connectivity Plan
Instructs the Office of the State Chief Information Officer to develop a plan to ensure that all citizens have access to broadband capability as a matter of promoting economic prosperity.
HB 395 — Body and Dashboard Cameras/Law Enforcement (with Brockman)
Requires that law enforcement officers wear body cameras and activate them during encounters with citizens, with certain exceptions like meetings with confidential informants, strip searches and ones that take place in private residences. Allows law enforcement agencies to release footage to any member of the public who submits a written request.
HB 518 — County Sales Tax Flexibility
Allows counties to levy a quarter-cent sales tax to finance public transportation project.
REP. JULIA C. HOWARD (R-FORSYTH, DAVIE), DISTRICT 79
About the district: D-62 covers the northwest corner of Guilford County, with precincts in Oak Ridge, Stokesdale, Colfax, Summerfield, High Point and Greensboro.
Committee assignments: Finance (vice-chair); Judiciary II (chair)
Terms: 8
Bills: 16, 14 as primary sponsor
Highlights:
HB 482 — Employee Fair Classification Act
Establishes an “Employee Misclassification Task Force” to investigate whether certain types of employees are being misclassified as contract laborers, so that employers can live up to their tax obligations.
HB 499 — Study/Public Records and Open Meetings
Ten members, five from the House and five from the Senate, would study ways to improve open-records law and issue a report next year.
HB 820 — Zero-base budgeting
Zero-based budgeting means that every budget item needs approval every year, not just new budget items, by 2021.
HB 928 — Two-Thirds Vote to Levy Taxes
This replaces a simple majority vote to levy new taxes.
HB929 — Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights
The bill adds an amendment to the state constitution that creates spending limits and an emergency reserve, and limits transferring cash or shifting expenses to local government.
REP. CECIL BROCKMAN (D-GUILFORD), DISTRICT 60
About the district: The majority-minority D-60 takes great pains to encapsulate African-American voters, starting in Greensboro straddling Wendover Avenue, moving southeast and then crossing through Jamestown and Sedgefield in a slim little finger before ballooning again in central High Point.
Terms: 1
Bills: 235, 26 as primary sponsor
Highlights:
HB 179 — Form of Government Changes by Referendum Only
Filed March 9, in direct response to Trudy Wade’s SB36, which seeks to radically change Greensboro city government by state fiat. This bill would require a public vote before such measures could be taken.
HB 193 — Prohibit Discriminatory Profiling
Makes illegal racial profiling by police departments, addresses use of race in police reports, requires training for neighborhood watch volunteers and empowers citizen-review boards.
HB 363 — High Point/Doughnut Annexations
Allows High Point to absorb any area it surrounds on every side without a vote from the community.
HB 384 — Greensboro/Police Disciplinary Actions
Gives the city’s police review board the ability to see some personnel records.
HB 535 — Promoting Charter School Success Pilot
This takes $1 million per year for the next two years from the General Fund and gives it to pro-charter school group Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina.
HB 549 — Tax Restoration Act
This undoes what the last General Assembly did, restoring tax levels to the previous rate of 5.75 percent for the first $1 million of personal income and 7.75 percent for anyone making more than that.
HB 717 — Restore Free and Fair Elections (with Faircloth)
This symbolic bill urges Congress to overturn “the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court decision and related cases ”— though the NC General Assembly can’t do anything about a Supreme Court decision.
HB 741 — Shift Workers Bill of Rights (with Harrison)
The bill addresses scheduling fluctuations, consistent hours, equal treatment for part-timers and other issues that come with an hourly wage.
HB 830 — North Carolina State Health Plan (with Johnson)
“An act to provide for the North Carolina health plan to cover all state residents with comprehensive health benefit coverage.”
HB 876 — Cell Phone Location Tracking
Requires a warrant before searching a cell phone “or other electronic device.”
REP. JOHN FAIRCLOTH (R-GUILFORD), DISTRICT 61
Equates tracking someone via a GPS device as cyberstalking.
Specifies new conflicts of interest — it recuses an elected official from a vote if they are sleeping with a lobbyist.
Adds NBOME, also known as “bath salts,” or synthetic cocaine, to the list.
“An act authorizing cities to require businesses to register on an annual basis and to impose a registration fee.” Municipal business fees were previously eliminated by the General Assembly.
Cops get to scrub some of their internet presence.
“An act to allow district attorneys to carry concealed handguns in courtrooms… to amend laws relating to concealed handguns on educational property, to prohibit concealed handguns on rides at the state fair, to eliminate pistol permits… to ensure federal recognition of state firearm right restoration, to modify the misdemeanor convictions that prevent issuance of a concealed handgun permit, to implement sign requirements for private-property owners that choose to prohibit concealed handguns and to allow hunting with suppressors on short-barreled rifles.”
More reporting, more conditions and terms will apply, particularly to concealed-carry holders.
Makes threatening an officer with “serious bodily harm” a felony.
This one does almost exactly the opposite of what it proposes — it classifies footage from these cameras as criminal-investigation records, which makes it exempt from the public record.
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About the district: Hardister’s eastern Guilford district circles around Greensboro, hooking in for just a few precincts on the northwestern corner of the city.
Committee appointments: Alcoholic Beverage Control (chair); Appropriations (vice-chair); Appropriations, Capital (chair)
Terms: 2
Bills: 52, 25 as primary sponsor
Highlights:
HB 92 — Nonpartisan Redistricting Commission (with Howard)
“An act to establish a nonpartisan redistricting process.” A redistricting based on Census numbers, without political input, may be Hardister’s signature bill this year.
HB 153 — New Historic Preservation Tax Credit
The bill moves to bring back what the General Assembly took away last year, giving a 15 percent tax credit to developers for spending up to $10 million, and 10 percent up to $20 million, with development and investment bonuses.
HB 815 — Sexual Assault/Sexual Consent
Colleges that get state funds must have policies for sexual assault, and support services and outreach for victims.
HB 844 — STEM Teacher Forgivable Loan Program
Teach for four years within six of graduation and the loan gets forgiven.
HB 849 — Create Debtor Exemption for Firearms
They cannot come for your guns, even if you owe them money.
HB 938 — Comprehensive Gaming Reform
This settles the strip-mall sweepstakes issue by taxing it, and creates a Gaming Commission to regulate the state’s one casino.
REP. PRICEY HARRISON (D-GUILFORD), DISTRICT 57
No offshore drilling.
An “adequate supply” of smokable marijuana is defined as “not more than 24 ounces.”
The regulations on dog breeding would make puppy mills illegal.
This undoes an action by the General Assembly in 2013.
Allows the sale of raw milk in North Carolina.
“An act to provide that the student member of the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina shall have the same right to vote as all other members.”
Raises the minimum wage from $6.15/hour to $10.10, with increases along with the cost of living.
Requires tiered electricity rates to encourage conservation and creates a bank to make loans for energy-efficiency projects.
Extends by one year the prohibition on use of coal-ash as structural fill.
Shareholders get a vote when corporations domiciled in North Carolina donate more than $10,000 for electioneering.
If you went to high school here, you qualify for in-state tuition.
About the districts: This minority-majority district covers sweeping portions of southeast Greensboro and a swath around Friendly Center and Starmount.
Terms: 1.5
Bills: 356, 14 as primary sponsor
Highlights:
HB 326 — Lottery Game to Benefit Veterans
“An act to create a special North Carolina education lottery game to benefit homeless veterans.”
HB 384 — Greensboro Police/Disciplinary Action (with Harrison)
Gives Greensboro’s police review board access to non-public personnel records.
HB 455 — Local Food Sourcing Tax Credit
Gives a 20 percent tax credit for a grocer who sells local produce in a food desert, and if the amount exceeds taxes owed, the state has to pay the money back.
HB 605 — Reduce Unfair Barriers to Public Employment
“[A] public employer neither ask about nor consider the criminal record of a job applicant until the applicant has been selected by the employer for an interview.”
HB645 — Study/No Emission Testing for Hybrid Vehicle
“An act directing the Division of Motor Vehicles to study the feasibility and advisability of exempting all non-plug-in hybrid motor vehicles from emissions inspections…”
How they voted: Significant legislation
SB 36 — To redistrict Greensboro and restructure city council
Restructures electoral system for Greensboro City Council from five to seven districts while eliminating at-large seats. The mayor would only vote in certain cases.
Status: Passed third reading in Senate, passed first reading in House and referred to Elections Committee
Voted yes: Berger, Krawiec, Wade
Voted no: Lowe, Robinson
SB 287/HB 152 — New Historic Preservation Tax Credit
Provides a tax credit of 15 percent to developers investing up to $10 million — and 10 percent for investments of up to $20 million — for rehabilitation of certified historic structures.
Status: Passed third reading in House, passed first reading in Senate and referred to Ways & Means Committee
Voted yes: Blust, Brockman, Conrad, Faircloth, Hanes, Hardister, Harrison, Johnson, Lambeth, Terry
Did not vote: Howard
HB 13 — Amend School Health Assessment Requirement
Requires children being admitted to public schools for the first time to submit proof of recent health assessment.
Status: Passed third reading in House, passed first reading in Senate and referred to Rules & Operations Committee
Voted yes: Blust, Brockman, Conrad, Faircloth, Hanes, Howard
Voted no: Harrison, Johnson
HB 138 — Arts Education Requirement
Directs the state Board of Education to require one arts education credit prior to graduation from high school
Status: Passed third reading in House, passed first reading in Senate and referred to Rules & Operations Committee
Voted yes: Blust, Brockman, Conrad, Faircloth, Hanes, Harrison, Howard, Johnson, Lambeth, Terry
Voted no: Hardister
Excused absence: Terry
HB 187 — Stalking by GPS/Criminal Offense
Makes it unlawful to knowingly install or place a tracking device without consent and uses it to track the location of an individual has committed the crime of cyberstalking.
Status: Passed second reading in House, referred to Judiciary II Committee
Voted yes: Blust, Brockman, Conrad, Faircloth, Hanes, Hardister, Harrison, Howard, Johnson, Lambeth, Terry
HB 465 — 72 Hours Informed Consent by Person or Phone
Increases the required waiting period before an abortion can be performed from 24 to 72 hours, and requires physicians performing abortions to submit extensive documentation to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Status: Passed second reading in House
Voted yes: Blust, Conrad, Faircloth, Hardister, Howard, Lambeth
Voted no: Brockman, Hanes, Harrison, Johnson, Terry
HB 712 — Pilot Project/Used Needle Disposal
Directs the State Bureau of Investigation to coordinate with the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition to establish a used needle and hypodermic syringe disposal pilot program. Persons participating would have immunity from charges of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Status: Passed third reading in House, passed first reading in Senate and referred to Rules & Operations Committee
Voted yes: Blust, Brockman, Conrad, Faircloth, Hanes, Hardister, Harrison, Howard, Johnson, Lambeth, Terry
HB 713 — Body & Dash Cam Recording/Public Access
About the district: Defines footage from police body-worn and in-car cameras as a record of criminal investigation, and thus exempt from public records law.
Status: Passed third reading in House, passed first reading in Senate and referred to Rules & Operations Committee
Voted yes: Blust, Conrad, Faircloth, Hanes, Hardister, Harrison, Howard, Johnson, Lambeth, Terry
Voted no: Brockman
HB 774 — Restoring Proper Justice Act
Would make it easier for the state of North Carolina to carry out executions by allowing licensed physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and EMTs to substitute for physicians. Also lifts the restriction on “ultrashort acting barbiturate in combination with a chemical paralytic agent” as the only legal means of carrying out executions.
Status: Passed second reading in House
Voted yes: Blust, Conrad, Faircloth, Hardister, Howard, Lambeth
Voted no: Brockman, Hanes, Harrison, Johnson, Terry
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