The General Assembly is one step closer to stopping eminent domain abuse in North Carolina. On Monday night HB 1659, a bill which seeks to protect private property from being taken for the use of economic development, passed its second reading in the House by a margin of 100-14.
The North Carolina House of Representatives on Thursday adopted four significant amendments to SB 897, the 2010-2011 budget bill. These amendments, offered by Republican legislators, will eliminate unnecessary end-of-grade tests and provide funding to teachers for classroom supplies, prohibit the paying of “golden parachutes” to state employees who are terminated or leave their jobs; forbid the practice of allowing in-state tuition for out of state students, and allow funds from the NC Lottery to be distributed equally to charter and traditional public schools.
On Thursday, June 3, 2010, the North Carolina House rejected, by a vote of 51 to 65, a procedural motion to allow the House to consider the education expense credit described below. Democratic leaders urged their colleagues to reject this annual savings to state and local government of $51 million.
Since May 19, 2009, three ethics bills (H944, H961, H1136) passed with broad bipartisan support by the House have been sitting in the Senate Judiciary I Committee chaired by Democratic leader Martin Nesbitt. None have been scheduled for committee consideration.
