Vol

Many of the bills which have been introduced during the session’s first two weeks are either appropriations bills (hoping to get a piece of that extra revenue) or study bills (hoping to put an issue on the agenda for the 2009 legislative session). Brief summaries of these bills will be followed by summaries of more substantive legislation. (Bill sponsors are named. Unless otherwise noted, appropriations bills are in the House or Senate Appropriations Committees.)

This listing of appropriations bills is important for two reasons. First, some of these bills would fund programs and services that are important to people in the Raleigh Report Network. And, second, these bills give an idea of the scope of programs and services that state dollars are used for.

APPROPRIATIONS

H 2077, NC Association of Free Clinics Funds. $2 million to connect the state’s free clinics to an information technology network. (Rep. Owens)

H 2078/S 1679, Smart Start Funds. $44.7 million to expand statewide early childhood initiatives. (Rep. Alexander; Sen. Purcell)

H 2085, Funds for Prevent Blindness NC. $300,000 for vision screening programs, including $150,000 for children in the More at Four program. (Rep. Crawford)

H 2087, Housing Funds/Developmental Disabilities. $155,000 to The Arc of NC for start-up funds for housing for people with developmental disabilities. (Reps. Coleman, Stam, Ross, Fisher)

H 2089, Communities in Schools Funds. $1 million to expand the work of Communities in Schools (which provides community support for public schools and their students). $756,250 for CIS to open two new performance learning centers. The bill also calls for a study of CIS’s proposal to place at least 100 graduation coaches in middle and high schools. (Rep. Tolson) See also H 2277, below.

H 2126/S 1685, Child Care Subsidy Funds. $26.7 million to provide child care subsidies for 10,000 children currently on a waiting list and $17.2 million to make changes in the subsidy rates. (Rep. Alexander; Sen. Purcell)

H 2131/S 1824, Funds/Autism Early Intervention. $4 million for early intervention programs. (Rep. Crawford; Sen. Garrou)

H 2176, Women at Risk Funds. $100,000 to continue and expand a program serving female offenders at risk of incarceration. (Reps. Fisher, Thomas, Goforth, Justus)

H 2199/S 1810, Funds/Minority Recruitment Pharmacy Schools. $300,000 for a pilot program to increase the number of minority students in pharmacy schools. (Reps. Coleman, England; Sen. Malone)

H 2208/S 1672, Funds/Healthy Start Foundation. $1 million to reduce infant mortality. (Rep. Insko, Sen. Purcell)

H 2225, Funds/Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention/Dropout Prevention. $1,178,000 to prevent pregnant and parenting students from dropping out of school. New programs would be initiated in the counties with the highest teen birth rates and dropout rates. (Reps. Coleman and Fisher)

H 2227/S 1848, Rural Economic Development Appropriation. $20 million to stimulate job-creating ventures, expand business opportunities, and promote economic transition in distressed rural areas. (Rep. Crawford; Sen. Dalton)

H 2233/S 1729, Community Development Funds. $4 million for the Community Development Initiative and $300,000 to the Rural Center for community-based housing and development activities. (Rep. Wainwright; Sen. Dannelly)

H 2248/S 1674, Funds/Stroke Advisory Council. $50,000 to address establishing a coordinated system of stroke care in NC. (Reps. Weiss, Williams; Sen. Purcell)

H 2249/S 1682, Funds Identify Stroke Rehabilitation Services. $100,000 to provide info about stroke rehab programs. (Reps. Weiss, Williams; Sen. Purcell)

H 2250/S 1673, Funds/Hypertension Prevention Demo Project. $300,000 for a hypertension prevention project. (Reps. Weiss, Williams; Sen. Purcell)

H 2251/S 1680, Funds/Heart Disease and Stroke Awareness. $350,000 for public awareness of stroke signs and symptoms. (Reps. Weiss, Williams; Sen. Purcell)

H 2277, Communities in Schools Funds. $6 million to CIS of NC, with the money to be used to draw down federal funds and private grants and to place at least 100 graduation coaches in middle and high schools, especially those with low graduation rates. (Reps. Parmon, Fisher, Tarleton)

H 2281, Teacher Housing Pilot Program Funds. $1.5 million for pilot programs in four school districts, with the purpose of providing affordable housing to enable teachers to relocate to rural areas. Teachers would receive equity in a home if they remain in the program for five years. (Reps. Goodwin, Yongue)

H 2282/S 1762, Funds for Efficient Green School Facilities. $1.5 million to ensure the efficient, green operation of school facilities. (Rep. Yongue, McLawhorn, Lucas, Bell; Sen. Swindell; H 2282 is in the House Energy Comm.)

H 2298, Drug/Alcohol Treatment Funds. Almost $240,000 for provide drug and alcohol addiction treatment for more inmates. (Rep. Sutton)

H 2300/S 1677, Funds for School Health Centers. $625,000 for existing and new school-based and school-linked health care centers. (Reps. Insko, Coleman, Clary, Howard; Sen. Purcell)

H 2302, Continuous Alcohol Monitoring System. $500,000 to Community Corrections to monitor more closely those individuals who need more direct supervision. (Rep. Alexander)

H 2337, Osteoporosis Education Funds. $150,000. (Reps. Weiss, Alexander, Walend)

H 2361/S 1794, Funds for CAP/MR-DD Slots. $10 million to provide a match for federal funds. (Reps. Jeffus, Alexander, England; Sen. Dalton)

H 2370/S 1676, Fund Public Health Improvement Initiatives. A total of $80 million for various public health efforts, including: $23 million to local health departments for ten essential public health services, $12.5 million for the “Eat Smart and Move More” obesity prevention plan, $1.5 million for the Tobacco Quit Line, $10.4 million for additional school nurses, and $31 million to provide all recommended childhood vaccines to all children. (Rep. England; Sen. Purcell)

H 2372/S 1665, Funds for Autism Community Initiatives. $1 million to serve adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. (Rep. England; Sen. Purcell)

H 2389, Funds for Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils. $5 million for local juvenile crime prevention councils. (Reps. Bordsen and Love)

H 2393/S 1667, Funds/Aid to Community Health Centers. $10 million to provide primary and preventive medical services to uninsured or medically indigent patients. (Rep. England, Alexander, Neumann, Rapp; Sen. Purcell)

STUDIES

H 2288/S 1806, Continue the Dropout Prevention Commission. (Reps. Parmon, Fisher, Tarleton, Current; Sen. Malone. H 2288 is in the House Education Comm.; S 1806 is in Senate Rules.)

H 2289/S 1812, Study Raising Compulsory Attendance Age. (Reps. Parmon, Bryant, Fisher, Tarleton; Sen. Malone. H 2289 is in House Education; S 1812 is in Senate Rules.)

H 2324/S 1803, Statewide Aging Study. To begin a five-year study of the state’s readiness to deal with “the coming wave of older adults.” The bills appropriate almost $4 million for the study. (Reps. Farmer-Butterfield, Pierce, Boylan; Sen. Malone. H 2324 is in House Aging; S 1803 is in Senate Rules.)

H 2362, LRC Study/Smoking Prohibition in Foster Care. Would authorize a study of the impact of a smoking ban on foster care: would it make a difference to children’s health, and would it make a difference in the availability of foster parents? (Rep. Cotham, House Rules.)

H 2405, LRC Study/Alternative Medicines. To study the benefits of allowing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. (Rep. Jones; referred to House Health Comm.)

IN OTHER MATTERS

HOW WE TREAT OUR KIDS

H 2373/S 1678, Clarify Corporal Punishment Policy, would specify who may administer corporal punishment in the schools: a principal, assistant principal, or teacher. They must be of the same gender as the student and trained in giving out corporal punishment. Substitute teachers could not do it. Spanking can be only by hand, on the buttocks, through the student’s clothing. Local school boards are to report on how many times corporal punishment has been administered, along with data on the age, gender, race, and special education status of those receiving it. Introduced by Rep. England and Sen. Purcell; referred to House Education and Senate Education Committees.

H 2339/S 1816, Amend Child Abuse, would increase the punishment level for misdemeanor child abuse. It would also create three levels of felony child abuse, ranging from recklessly (but not intentionally) causing serious physical injury (causing great pain and suffering) up to intentionally causing serious bodily injury (substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement). Introduced by Reps. Weiss and Clary and Sen. Boseman; referred to House Children, Youth & Families and Senate Judiciary II.

H 2340/S 1734, Transporting Children in Open Bed of Vehicle. Current law makes it illegal to allow a child under the age of 12 to ride in the back of a pick-up truck, but with exemptions 1) when an adult is present and supervising the child and 2) for counties with small populations. H 2340/S 1734 would raise the age to 16 and remove the exemptions. Introduced by Rep. Weiss and Sen. Purcell; referred to House Children, Youth & Families and Senate Judiciary I.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

H 2189/S 1586, DV Victim Assistance, would expand the information law enforcement would be required to provide to a domestic violence victim, requiring that information about services (currently given to those receiving a protective order) be given with 72 hours. The bill also calls for a study of creating a statewide automated victim notification system for persons who have received a protective order. Introduced by Rep. McLawhorn and Sen. Boseman; referred to House Judiciary I; not yet referred to a Senate committee.

WHOOPS. OUR BAD.

H 2105, Compensation for Erroneously Convicted, would increase the benefits paid by the state to someone who has been imprisoned and is then given a pardon of innocence (meaning that it has been determined that this person was innocent of the crime for which s/he had been imprisoned). The annual cash compensation would be increased from $20,000 to $40,000, with the maximum increased from $500,000 to $700,000. In addition, if the wrongly convicted person had been deprived of educational opportunities, the state would provide at least one year of job skill training and up to five years of tuition and fees at any UNC school. Introduced by Rep. Glazier; referred to House Judiciary II.

HEALTH CARE FOR ALL

S 1668, Health Care Policy Council, would create a state council to conduct ongoing review and analysis of healthcare policies, programs, and plans to ensure access for North Carolinians to appropriate and affordable health care on a regular basis. The Council would make recommendations to the General Assembly, the Governor, and the public. The bill also allocates $300,000 for the operation of the Council. And, of interest to Raleigh Report folks, the Council would be named for Ruth Easterling and Bill Martin, two former legislators, advocates for health care for all, who have passed in recent months. Both were friends of the NC Council of Churches and past recipients of our Faith Active in Public Life Award. Introduced by Sen. Purcell; referred to Senate Appropriations. The NC Council of Churches supports universal access to basic health care and supports this bill as a step towards health care for all.

H 2229, Health Insurance Pool Pilot Program, would create in Buncombe and its surrounding counties a health insurance pooling program which should make it easier for small employers to afford to provide coverage to their employees. Introduced by Reps. Goforth, Rapp, Fisher, Thomas; referred to House Insurance.

PREVENTING TOBACCO-RELATED ILLNESSES

H 2252/S 1681, Smoke-Free Motor Fleet, would require all automobiles in the state motor vehicle fleet to be smoke-free and would authorize local governments to make local motor fleets smoke-free. Introduced by Reps. Weiss and Williams and Sen. Purcell; referred to House Health and Senate Health Care.

H 2253/S 1686, Smoke-Free State and Local Building Grounds, would prohibit smoking within 50 feet of all state government buildings. The bills would also permit local governments to restrict smoking in and around local government buildings, as well as in libraries and museums not owned by the local government. Introduced by Reps. Weiss and Williams and Sen. Purcell; referred to House Health and Senate Health Care.

H 2254/S 1669, Community Colleges/Tobacco Free, would permit local community college boards to adopt policies prohibiting the use of tobacco products in their buildings, on their grounds, or at their events. Introduced by Reps. Weiss and Williams and Sen. Purcell; referred to House Health and Senate Health Care.

FORECLOSURE PROTECTION

H 2230/S 1793, HPA/Expand Home Protection Program, expand a program to provide protection and assistance to homeowners who have lost their jobs and are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. Homeowners filing for mortgage assistance under the program would be protected from foreclosure proceedings for 4 months. $3 million is allocated for the program. Introduced by Reps. Goforth and Underhill and Sen. Dalton; referred to House Judiciary II and Senate Judiciary II.

DISCRIMINATION, PAST AND PRESENT

H 2219/S 1905, DPI/Curriculum on 1898 Wilmington Race Riot, would direct the Department of Public Instruction to develop appropriate grade-level curriculum materials on the 1898 Wilmington race riot. $199,000 is allocated. Introduced by Rep. Hughes and Sen. Dorsett; referred to House Education and Senate Approps.

S 1608, Defense of Marriage, would amend the state constitution to provide that marriage is the union of one man and one woman at one time. It would also prohibit the recognition of civil unions, domestic partnerships, or other similar relationships. Introduced by Sen. Forrester; referred to Senate Ways & Means. The NC Council of Churches opposes constitutional amendments defining marriage.

H 2237, Authorize No Postsecondary Education/Illegal Aliens. This bill would permit the introduction of a bill excluding the children of undocumented immigrants from being admitted to community colleges or the UNC system. Because this is a short session, the substantive bill cannot be introduced without this authorization bill. Introduced by Rep. Cleveland; referred to House Rules. The NC Council of Churches opposes the exclusion of the children of undocumented immigrants from the state’s higher education systems.

H 2284, Authorize Photo ID for Voters

H 284 would authorize the introduction of a bill which would require those wanting to vote to show a photo ID at the polling location. Introduced by Rep. Boylan; referred to House Rules. The US Supreme Court recently OKed an Indiana law requiring photo IDs of those wanting to vote. The down side of these laws was quickly evident, as several elderly nuns were unable to vote in Indiana’s presidential primary because they didn’t have the required identification. Ironically, their polling place was the convent in which they were living, and the precinct officials who had to turn them away were other nuns. (I am not making this up; you can’t make up stuff like this.)

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

S 1705, Lottery Name Changed, would change the name of the NC Education Lottery to the NC State Lottery. Introduced by Sen. Blake, referred to Senate Rules.

CHANGES IN TAX LAWS

H 2097/S 1830, Repeal Transfer Tax. Last year, the General Assembly gave counties the authority to levy a land transfer tax of up to one-fourth cent if approved by voters in the county. To date, no counties have levied the tax and several have voted it down. H 2097/S 1830 would repeal the counties’ authority to levy this tax. Introduced by Rep. Gibson and Sen. Goodall; referred to House Rules and Senate Finance.

H 2111, Long-Term Care Insurance/No Limit.

Current law provides an income tax credit for the purchase of long-term care insurance, but there are income limits on who can claim the credit. H 2111 would remove the income limits. Introduced by Rep. Allred, referred to House Insurance.

H 2112, Homestead Exemption/$30K. Current law sets an income eligibility limit of $25,000 on the property tax homestead exclusion. H 2112 would raise it to $30,000. Introduced by Rep. Allred, referred to House Aging.

H 2326, Authorize Increased Income Limit for Homestead Exclusion, would permit the introduction of a bill to raise the income ceiling for the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $35,000. Introduced by Reps. Hilton, Setzer, and R. Warren; referred to House Rules.

H 2193, Suspend Collection of the Fuel Tax

H 2193 would lift the state gas tax for 90 days. Introduced by Rep. Boylan; referred to House Finance.