Paul Stam » Government Corruption

With bipartisan support, the House voted 73 – 46 to override the veto of Governor Bev Perdue. The House and Senate achieved this historic milestone on June 15, 2011.
This fulfills our first two promises to the people of North Carolina: A balanced budget and a budget that does not raise tax rates. Our budget contains the largest tax rate cut in the history of North Carolina. It makes our state more competitive with our neighbors again. It puts almost $1.5 billion back in to the hands of hard working North Carolinians. It is balanced. The business school at UNC Chapel Hill estimates that the Republican budget will create up to 14,900 new private sector jobs in North Carolina.

2. Protect Health Care Freedom Act

HB 2, protects North Carolinians from the “individual mandate” in the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), passed the House and Senate and was sent to the Governor. She Vetoed the bill. Republican leaders filed an Amicus Curiae (Friend of the Court) brief on May 11, 2011 to the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia. The Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 in favor of the states.

3. North Carolina is a Right-to-Work state. Republicans will continue to support laws that secure the right of employees to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union. We will stop any legislation that allows collective bargaining.

4. Reducing regulatory burden on small business.

Both House and Senate members have proposed legislation to limit the financial burden of regulation on businesses.

Senate Bill 22 – An act to limit new agency regulatory requirements that result in substantial additional costs. SB 22 passed both chambers and was signed into law by the Governor on March 25, 2011.
House Bill 162 – An act to exempt certain activities related to small-scale processing of agricultural products from wastewater permit requirements. The bill passed the House and Senate and was signed by the Governor on April 19, 2011.
House Bill 200 – The Appropriations Act of 2011 limits the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Labor and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from imposing standards or limitations that are more restrictive than the Federal government. The Act became law on June 15, 2011.
House Bill 542 – An act to provide tort reform for North Carolina citizens and businesses was signed by the Governor and became law on June 24, 2011.
House Bill 619 – An act to specify the Secretary of Revenue’s authority to adjust net income of a corporation or to require a corporation to file a combined return was signed by the Governor and became law on June 30, 2011.
House Bill 709 – An act to Protect and Put NC Back to Work by reforming the Workers’ Compensation Act passed the House and Senate and was signed by the Governor on June 24, 2011.
Senate Bill 781 – An act to increase regulatory efficiency in order to balance job creation and environmental protection was vetoed by the Governor. The House and Senate overrode the Governor’s veto on July 25, 2011 and the bill became law.

5. The balanced budget passed by the House and Senate fully funds the teachers in the classroom, not the bureaucracy.

6. Senate Bill 8 entitled, “No Cap on Number of Charter Schools” passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support and has been signed by the Governor. The bill became law on June 17, 2011.

7. HB 351, titled “Restore Confidence in Government” requires voters to provide photo ID before voting and allows more flexibility when applying for absentee ballots. HB 351 was ratified by the House and Senate but vetoed by the Governor on June 23, 2011. The House was unable to override the Governor’s veto but because of a parliamentary procedure it is eligible for reconsideration.

8. The House and Senate have each introduced bills proposing a Constitutional Amendment that will protect private property rights. House Bill 8 titled, “Eminent Domain” passed the full House on a vote of 98 to 18 and now moves to the Senate.

9. HB 139 entitled, “Limit Contributions by State Vendors” discourages pay-to-play politics in North Carolina. The bill seeks to limit the campaign contributions of state vendors to Council of State offices with which they hold contracts. HB 139 passed the House on May 24^th and has been sent to the Senate.

2011 Republican Legislative Accomplishments

Paul Stam, NC House Republican Leader — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:44:21 +0000

Notable Republican Bills Signed Into Law

House Bill 36 – An act to require counties, cities and employers to use the Federal E-Verify program to verify the work authorization of newly hired employees was signed by the Governor on June 23, 2011.

House Bill 92 – An act to repeal the land transfer tax was signed into law by the Governor on March 31, 2011.

House Bill 112 – An act to realign the Districts for Wake County Superior Court Judge seats to provide for single member districts and equal representation in those districts was signed into law by the Governor on June 23, 2011.

House Bill 542 – An act to provide tort reform for North Carolina citizens and businesses was signed into law by the Governor on June 24, 2011.

House Bill 588 – An act requiring local boards of education to teach a semester long course in high school entitled, “American History I – The Founding Principles.” The course will include a study on The Creator – endowed inalienable rights of the people, rule of law, equal justice under law, private property rights, federalism, due process, individual responsibility, etc. The Governor made this act law on June 23, 2011.

House Bill 596 – An act to require that proceeds of certain dispositions of state-owned real property be used in part to support the general fund, in part to support the teachers’ and state employees’ retirement system of North Carolina, and in part to support the agencies to which the property was allocated; and to appropriate funds for these purposes. The bill became law by the Governor’s hand on June 27, 2011.

House Bill 642 – The Justice Reinvestment Act was signed into law on June 23, 2011 by the Governor. The act is a major reform of the North Carolina Justice system.

House Bill 650 – An act to provide when a person may use defensive force and to amend various gun laws regarding the right to own, possess, or carry a firearm in North Carolina was signed into law by the Governor on June 23, 2011.

House Bill 762 – An act to protect landowner’s rights was signed into law by the Governor on June 23, 2011.

House Bill 927 – An act to make changes to the statutes governing the teachers’ and state employees’ retirement system and the consolidated judicial retirement system to ensure the future solvency of those systems was signed into law by the Governor on June 23, 2011.

House Bill 289 – An act to authorize the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue various special registration plates including North Carolina Zoological Society, ARTS NC, North Carolina State Flag and Donate Life was signed by the Governor and became law on June 30, 2011.

House Bill 619 – An act to specify the Secretary of Revenue’s authority to adjust net income of a corporation or to require a corporation to file a combined return was signed by the Governor and became law on June 30, 2011.

Notable Republican Bills That Became Law without the Governor’s Signature

House Bill 48 – An act to reduce spending by eliminating statewide standardized testing in the public schools, except as required by Federal law or as a condition of a Federal grant. The bill became law on March 21, 2011.

House Bill 119 – An act to amend certain environmental and natural resources laws was presented to the Governor on June 20, 2011 and became law without her signature on July 1, 2011.

House Bill 744 – The “Safe Schools Act” states that a principal of any public school may shall require the parent or guardian of any child presented for admission for the first time to that school to furnish (i) a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate, which shall be furnished by the register of deeds of the county having on file the record of the birth of the child, or other satisfactory evidence of date of birth, as provided in Article 4 of Chapter 130A. The act became law on June 28, 2011.

House Bill 344 – An act to allow individual income tax credit for children with disabilities who require special education and to create a fund for special education and related services became law on July 1, 2011.

House Bill 845 – An act to reform the involuntary annexation laws of North Carolina became law on July 1, 2011.

Veto Overrides

Senate Bill 33 – An act to reform the laws relating to money judgment appeal bonds, bifurcation of trials in civil cases and medical liability became law on July 25, 2011 after the House and Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto.

Senate Bill 496 – An act to provide requirements of Medicaid and health choice providers became law on July 25, 2011 after the House and Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto.

Senate Bill 532 (HB 813) – An act to reform employment security laws by creating the Division of Employment Security within the Department of Commerce became law on July 26, 2011 after the House and Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto.

Senate Bill 781 – An act to increase regulatory efficiency in order to balance job creation and environmental protection was vetoed by the Governor. The House and Senate overrode the Governor’s veto on July 25, 2011 and the bill became law.

House Bill 200 – The Appropriations Act of 2011, otherwise known as the state budget, which was balanced and did not raise tax rates.

House Bill 854 – An act to require a 24-hour waiting period and the informed consent of a pregnant woman before an abortion may be performed became law on July 28, 2011 after the House and Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto.

100 Day Plan Legislative Update

Paul Stam, NC House Republican Leader — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:32:34 +0000

100 Day Legislative Update

August 15, 2011

1. Balanced Budget and Reduced Tax Rates

With bipartisan support, the House voted 73 – 46 to override the veto of Governor Bev Perdue. The House and Senate achieved this historic milestone on June 15, 2011.

This fulfills our first two promises to the people of North Carolina: A balanced budget and a budget that does not raise tax rates. Our budget contains the largest tax rate cut in the history of North Carolina. It makes our state more competitive with our neighbors again. It puts almost $1.5 billion back in to the hands of hard working North Carolinians. It is balanced. The business school at UNC Chapel Hill estimates that the Republican budget will create up to 14,900 new private sector jobs in North Carolina.

2. Protect Health Care Freedom Act

HB 2, protects North Carolinians from the “individual mandate” in the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), passed the House and Senate and was sent to the Governor. She Vetoed the bill. Republican leaders filed an Amicus Curiae (Friend of the Court) brief on May 11, 2011 to the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia. The Court of Appeals is now in deliberations.

3. North Carolina is a Right-to-Work state. Republicans will continue to support laws that secure the right of employees to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union. We will stop any legislation that allows collective bargaining.

4. Reducing regulatory burden on small business.

Both House and Senate members have proposed legislation to limit the financial burden of regulation on businesses.

Senate Bill 22 – An act to limit new agency regulatory requirements that result in substantial additional costs. SB 22 passed both chambers and was signed into law by the Governor on March 25, 2011.
House Bill 162 – An act to exempt certain activities related to small-scale processing of agricultural products from wastewater permit requirements. The bill passed the House and Senate and was signed by the Governoron April 19, 2011.
House Bill 200 – The Appropriations Act of 2011 limits the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Labor and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from imposing standards or limitations that are more restrictive than the Federal government. The Act became law on June 15, 2011.
House Bill 542 – An act to provide tort reform for North Carolina citizens and businesses was signed by the Governor and became law on June 24, 2011.
House Bill 619 – An act to specify the Secretary of Revenue’s authority to adjust net income of a corporation or to require a corporation to file a combined return was signed by the Governor and became law on June 30, 2011.
House Bill 709 – An act to Protect and Put NC Back to Work by reforming the Workers’ Compensation Act passed the House and Senate and was signed by the Governor on June 24, 2011.
Senate Bill 781 – An act to increase regulatory efficiency in order to balance job creation and environmental protection was vetoed by the Governor. The House and Senate overrode the Governor’s vetoon July 25, 2011 and the bill became law.

5. The balanced budget passed by the House and Senate fully funds the teachers in the classroom, not the bureaucracy.

7. HB 351, titled “Restore Confidence in Government” requires voters to provide photo ID before voting and allows more flexibility when applying for absentee ballots. HB 351 was ratified by the House and Senate but vetoedby the Governoron June 23, 2011. The House was unable to override the Governor’s veto but because of a parliamentary procedure it is eligible for reconsideration.

100 Day Plan Legislative Update

Paul Stam, NC House Republican Leader — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:02:49 +0000

North Carolina House of Representatives

100 Day Legislative Update

April 25, 2011

Budget Priorities

On April 14, 2011 the House and Senate passed HB 383, a continuing resolution budget, without raising tax rates. The measure allows the Governor to allocate funds for spending by State departments at a level that basically does not exceed expected revenues for the 2011-2012 fiscal years in case the House, Senate and Governor do not agree on a formal budget. On Saturday April 16, 2011, the Governor VETOED this measure so that she can demand tax rate increases.

Protect Health Care Freedom Act

HB 2, protects North Carolinians from the “individual mandate” in the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), passed the House and Senate and was sent to the Governor. She Vetoed the bill. Republican leaders will submit an Amicus Curiae (Friend of the Court) brief to the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals.

North Carolina is a Right-to-Work state. Republicans will continue to support laws that secure the right of employees to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union. We will stop SB 386.

Reducing regulatory burden on small business.

Both House and Senate members have proposed legislation to limit the financial burden of regulation on businesses.

Senate Bill 22 – An act to limit new agency regulatory requirements that result in substantial additional costs. SB 22 passed both the Senate and House and was signed into law by the Governor on March 25, 2011.

House Bill 162 – An act to exempt certain activities related to small-scale processing of agricultural products from wastewater permit requirements. The bill passed the House and Senate and was ratified by the House on April 14, 2011.

House Bill 237 – An act to require economic impact statements on all bills that propose regulatory changes. The bill passed first reading of the House and is before the Committee on Commerce and Job Development.

House Bill 323 – An act to reduce the corporate income tax rate in North Carolina from 6.9% to 4.75%. HB 323 will be considered as part of the budget.

House Bill 800 – An act to create the North Carolina Jobs and Commerce Corporation Task Force to study the implementation of the transferring of economic development activities into a single entity is now before the House Committee on Commerce and Job Development.

The Joint Select Committee on Regulatory Reform held six meetings across the state beginning in Wilmington on March 11th. They heard suggestions from the public concerning burdensome regulations on individuals and business. The last meeting was held on Thursday, April 21^st in Raleigh, NC.

Senate Bill 8 entitled, “No Cap on Number of Charter Schools” passed the House on Monday evening, by a vote of 68 – 51. SB 8 received unanimous support from House Republicans and one courageous Democrat. Charter school legislation now heads to conference with the Senate. Representatives Stam, Samuelson and Brandon are House conferees to work with Senators Stevens, Graham and Soucek.

House Election Law Committee has held several committee meetings on HB 351, titled “Restore Confidence in Government.” The bill would require voters to provide photo ID before voting and allow more flexibility when applying for absentee ballots. HB 351 passed the Election Law committee and is now before the House Appropriations Committee.

The House and Senate have each introduced bills proposing a Constitutional Amendment that will protect private property rights. House Bill 8 titled, “Eminent Domain” passed the full House Judiciary committee. Debate on House Bill 8 has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 26^th around 2:00 pm. Come watch or listen.

House Republicans moved one step closer to good government by passing House Bill 61 titled, “Speaker/Pro Tem Term Limits.” This constitutional amendment seeks to cap the number of consecutive legislative terms the Speaker or President Pro Tem of the Senate serves to no more than two. It passed 72 – 46, the bare minimum and now moves to the Senate. The Governor cannot veto a constitutional amendment.

House Republicans introduced HB 139 entitled, “Limit Contributions by State Vendors” as a measure to discourage pay-to-play politics in North Carolina. The bill seeks to limit the campaign contributions of state vendors to Council of State offices with which they hold contracts. HB 139 passed through Elections Committee on Wednesday and is headed to the floor.

Ethics Reform Bills Should be Heard Immediately

Paul Stam, NC House Republican Leader — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:38:55 +0000

Time To Act On Ethics Issues

Raleigh, N.C. – 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. H944 requires disclosure of campaign contribution activity by those appointed to critical positions in state government. H961 is aimed at prohibiting conflicts of interest involving political contributions by important state contractors. H1136 would prevent certain employees of the executive branch from registering as lobbyists for six months after leaving employment with the state.

House Republican Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake) said, “Senate Democrats have had a year to consider these common sense measures. It is now time to act.”

In addition, three bills filed by Senator R.C. Soles (D-Brunswick) have drawn criticism from supporters of ethics reform and even from Brunswick County Democrats. (“Brunswick Dems urge R.C. Soles Jr. to withdraw controversial bills,” Cape Fear Watchdog$, 5/28/10) S1341 is a bill that would change the pension eligibility for judicial branch employees who retire after their 62nd birthday with 20 years or more of creditable service. The bill appears designed to benefit Rex Gore, Brunswick County’s District Attorney and a longtime Soles ally, who recently lost his re-election primary. S1340 and S1408 would split the judicial district in Brunswick, Bladen, and Columbus counties.

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said, “These bills exemplify precisely the type of self-serving legislation that erodes public confidence in government and elected officials. If Democratic state leaders are truly interested in strengthening ethics in state government, they must make it clear that they will do everything possible to stop these bills from becoming law.”

Is Gov. Perdue Playing Politics with Ethics Reform?

Paul Stam, NC House Republican Leader — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:15:22 +0000

On Monday, Governor Perdue announced a set of legislative proposals and proposed executive orders aimed at reforming the ethical requirements for state government employees, elected officials and appointees to state boards and commissions. Perdue’s ethics reform package comes amidst an ongoing investigation into former Democrat Gov. Mike Easley and Ruffin Poole, a former aide to Gov. Easley, who has been indicted on corruption charges. Perdue has also been criticized for the failure of her campaign to report 17 private flights and $48,000.00 in questionable donations.

In a Press Release entitled, “State Ethics Reform Necessary” dated November 16, 2009; I stated that the North Carolina House unanimously passed bipartisan ethics reform legislation in May of 2009. My press release can be found under Issues – Government Corruption. The press release states:

“During the 2009 Session I was a primary co-sponsor of three bipartisan bills aimed at reforming our State ethics laws. House Bill 944, “Disclosure by Appointees,” sponsored by Reps. Glazier (D-Cumberland), Ross (D-Wake), Stam (R-Wake) and Tillis (R-Mecklenburg), requires disclosure of campaign contribution activity by those appointed to critical positions in state government. House Bill 961, “Pay to Play Regulation” was co-sponsored by Reps. Glazier, Stam, Ross and Goodwin (D-Richmond). This legislation is aimed at preventing conflicts of interest involving political contributions by critical state contractors. House Bill 1136, “Executive Branch Revolving Door,” sponsored by Reps. Ross and Stam, would prohibit certain Executive Branch employees from registering as lobbyists for six months after leaving employment with the State.

All three bills passed the House of Representatives with almost unanimous approval. HB 944 was received by the Senate on May 7, 2009. HB 961 and HB 1136 were received by the Senate on May 14, 2009. However, not one of these bills was considered by the Senate prior to adjournment last August. Recent allegations involving former Governor Mike Easley and Mary Easley, as well as other top Democratic officials, indicate the critical need for ethics law reform.

These bills will be pending in the Senate when the legislature reconvenes next May. I call upon the Senate leadership to make their consideration a priority.”

It seems that if Gov. Perdue were serious about ethics reform, then she would have inspired Senate Democrats to pass the bipartisan legislation aimed at accomplishing the same ethics reform she now seeks while in the midst of her own campaign finance woes.

Medicaid Fraud Exaggeration

Paul Stam, NC House Republican Leader — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:06:05 +0000

Gov. Beverly Perdue has loudly proclaimed her new initiative to stop Medicaid fraud. The heart of her claim is the use of new technology by IBM to review claims before they are paid. This is a great idea. But her press release is highly misleading. As Lieutenant Governor from 2003-2008 she was culpable in not supporting this technology.

In 2003 Republican Senator Robert Pittenger introduced SB 985 titled Medicaid Fraud Detection Pilot Funds to finance and use this technology. The bill was referred to the Committee on Appropriations/Base Budget and never heard on the Senate Floor. However, on April 29th 2003, Senator Pittenger offered a floor amendment to the Budget Act which passed 49-0 and further expanded direction relating to fraud software. Meanwhile, in the House Republican Representative John Blust offered the same bill. Legislative leadership refused to let it be heard, even though it had passed 49 to 0 in the Senate.

We have attempted to find out who, on the Conference Committee, made the decision to leave this provision out of the final budget for 2003. It was quickly dropped and we find no evidence that Senate conferees fought to include this Republican amendment. Staff states the written record does not exist. But since the Conference Committee overwhelmingly consists of Democratic members, the budget leaders, including then Lt. Governor Bev Perdue and Senator Kay Hagan, are culpable.

One estimate is that since 2003 a billion dollars of fraud, waste and other improper payments have been made in North Carolina. These could have been stopped with this technology.

In 2009, sensing an opportunity (because of the budget crisis) to implement a program that would save money, Republican Representatives Stam, Blust and Dollar introduced HB 190 to accomplish this function. It passed the State Government Committee, and then, in a different form and at the continued persistent insistence of Republican leaders, was included in the House budget, finally accepted by the Senate and signed by the Governor.

Republicans were delighted that the Democrats finally agreed that it was time to save money.

Rand’s “Technical Correction” Anything But

Paul Stam, NC House Republican Leader — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:44:48 +0000

Raleigh – The News and Observer today reported that former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand (D-Cumberland) worked in secret to enact a law resulting in enormous increases in medical care costs for NC prison inmates. Rand used a technical corrections bill to strip an essential cost cutting provision from last year’s budget. According to the report, “Rand kept inmate medical costs high,” (2/12/10) , Rand’s involvement in the “technical corrections bill” negated a provision in the previously passed budget initiated by the NC Department of Correction that would have limited medical costs for inmates to the same level as the State Health Plan. DOC spending for inmate medical care has increased over $38 million during the previous decade, according to the N&O.

The effort to inflate medical costs for inmates was carefully hidden kept during debate on HB 836, “An Act to Make Technical, Clarifying, and Other Modifications to the Appropriations Act of 2009.” In fact, an explanation of the bill by House Appropriations Committee Chair, Rep. Mickey Michaux, described Section 15A, providing Rand’s language, as merely “technical” during House floor debate. (For Transcript see below.) Rep. Michaux should take this up with former Senator Rand and his staff.

“North Carolina taxpayers have every right to be incensed by this irresponsible action of the Democratic leadership in the legislature. The current budget raised our citizens’ tax burden by almost $1 billion by claiming the deficit was much wider than the facts indicated. Now we see further examples of outright waste,” said House Republican Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake). “It is past time for our citizens to demand accountability from those who have mismanaged our state’s finances for too long.”

***For those interested in the fine details, click here to view the NC Auditor’s Report.

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NC House of Representatives
August 10, 2009

Debate on HB 836 – “Modify Appropriations Act”

Speaker Hackney: “The gentleman from Durham, Rep. Michaux, is recognized to explain the Senate committee substitute.”

Rep. Michaux: “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, this is the usual technical corrections bill to the Appropriations Act and I’ve got about three pages of explanation, but I’ll try to be very brief for you…”

“…14A is basically technical. 15A is technical. 16 extends the period that the Department of Corrections must operate the….”

“…I’d be happy to answer any questions. I urge you to adopt the conference report.”

Speaker Hackney: “For what purpose does the gentleman from Guilford, Rep. Blust arise?”

Rep. Blust: “To see if Rep. Michaux will yield for a question.”

Speaker Hackney: “Does the gentleman from Durham yield?”

Rep. Michaux: “Yes.”

Speaker Hackney: “He yields.”

Rep. Blust: “Rep. Michaux, this bill was first published, Senate Bill 202 that this bill modifies…The conference report was first published over the internet at about eleven thirty or twelve last Monday. It was delivered to our offices Tuesday morning at nine thirty in hard copy. We passed it Wednesday. And now just five days later we’re coming back with 21 or 15 pages of modifications. Might it be reasonable next time to slow this process down so that we don’t have to turn around in five days and modify something that we rushed through?”

Rep. Michaux: “Well, Rep. Blust, the only thing I can tell you is that you can slow it down as much as you want to. Mistakes are going to be made, corrections have to be made, adjustments have to be made. And you can’t…I don’t care how much you slow it down, that’s going to happen.”

Speaker Hackney: “For what purpose does the gentleman from Wake, Rep. Stam, arise?”

Rep. Stam: “To ask Representative Michaux two questions.”

Speaker Hackney: “Does the gentleman yield?”

Rep. Michaux: “Yes, sir.”

Speaker Hackney: “He yields.”

Rep. Stam: “Representative Michaux, does this bill appropriate net additional more money than the bill it modifies?”

Rep. Michaux: “No sir.”

Rep. Stam: “Second question?”

Speaker Hackney: “Does the gentleman yield again?”

Rep. Michaux: “Yes sir.”

Rep. Stam: “Representative Michaux, does this bill impose additional taxes more than Senate Bill 202?”

Rep. Michaux: “No sir.”

Rep. Stam: “Thank you, Mr. Speaker.”

* * *

Speaker Hackney: “For what purpose does the gentleman from Caldwell, Rep. Starnes arise?”

Rep. Starnes: “Will the gentleman yield for a question?”

Speaker Hackney: “Will the gentleman yield?”

Rep. Michaux: “Yes sir.”

Speaker Hackney: “He yields.”

Rep. Starnes: “I just…Thank you Rep. Michaux. I’m just trying to understand the overall fiscal impact of this. I know you said it didn’t raise any taxes. But does it in…Is it basically revenue neutral? Does it raise any….?”

Rep. Michaux: “What it does is it makes, where you see some changes in there where you have moved…You move money from one part to another. It changes…It will change what you see in the availability section. It changes where it comes from and where it goes but it doesn’t change the amount.”

Actual audio of this debate can be found at this link on the General Assembly website.

Audio Sections:

- Reading of the bill: 01:05:26

- Rep. Michaux’s explanation of Section 15A: 01:08:53

- Rep. Blust’s question: 01:10:43

- Rep. Stam’s questions: 01:11:52

- Rep. Starnes’ question: 01:15:22

State Ethics Reform Necessary

Paul Stam, NC House Republican Leader — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:34:59 +0000

NC Senate Fails to Consider Important Ethics Legislation

During the 2009 Session I was a primary co-sponsor of three bipartisan bills aimed at reforming our State ethics laws. House Bill 944, “Disclosure by Appointees,” sponsored by Reps. Glazier (D-Cumberland), Ross (D-Wake), Stam (R-Wake) and Tillis (R-Mecklenburg), requires disclosure of campaign contribution activity by those appointed to critical positions in state government. House Bill 961, “Pay to Play Regulation” was co-sponsored by Reps. Glazier, Stam, Ross and Goodwin (D-Richmond). This legislation is aimed at preventing conflicts of interest involving political contributions by critical state contractors. House Bill 1136, “Executive Branch Revolving Door,” sponsored by Reps. Ross and Stam, would prohibit certain Executive Branch employees from registering as lobbyists for six months after leaving employment with the State.

These bills will be pending in the Senate when the legislature reconvenes next May. I call upon the Senate leadership to make their consideration a priority.