Session in Recess

Both the House and Senate wrapped up the session on the 18th of June, enacting the state budget two weeks before the start of the fiscal year, the earliest in over 30 years.  There were several pieces of legislation that favored business among them were regulatory and tax changes, along with legal and workers’ compensation reform.  Hopefully, these changes will create the 14,000 job in the coming two years touted by the Republican legislature.  The General Assembly will reconvene on July 13th to take up redistricting and review bills related to election law, appointments to various state boards and commissions, as well as conference reports not adopted upon adjournment.  They will also review any bill vetoed by Governor Purdue.  So it's not over yet.


In Cleveland County the big story will be who the Republicans will appoint to take the seat being vacated by Senator Clary.  If you know of anyone that is being considered let us know.  We appreciated the service and dedication Senator Clary gave to her constituents and wish her the best in her new endeavors.


Here is an over view of some of the legislation passed that might have an impact on your business.

Environmental Reform Signed by Governor

After receiving overwhelming approval from the House and Senate, environmental reform bill H45: Accelerate Cleanup of Industrial Properties was signed by Gov. Bev Perdue. The legislation permits “risk-based remediation,” which provides site-specific cleanup standards that would expedite the reuse of valuable industrial sites while ensuring protection of public health and the environment.

E-Verify Legislation Becomes Law

Legislation (H36) requiring all NC employers to use the federal E-Verify system to check the legal status of new hires was ratified by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Perdue this week. Companies with 25 or more employees must begin using the system by July 1, 2013. Larger companies are required to comply earlier, with some starting in October 2012. 

Let us know if you have any questions concerning a bill.  We will be glad to research it and let you know where it is in the process.

Bills of Interest

The General Assembly is trying to wrap up this session and are moving through a large number of bills.  Tort Reform H542  passed the Senate after the Senate Judiciary Committee made several significant changes. The committee eliminated the provision that would create a presumption that a pharmaceutical product is safe if it has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.  The bill still includes provisions to ensure that juries receive accurate information on the actual medical bills paid in a case; establish appropriate standards for expert witnesses and set reasonable limits on attorneys’ fees in small cases.   The House concurred and the bill is now on the the Governor's desk.

Regulatory Reform

S781 passed the House and is expected to be taken up again by the Senate this week.  One of the bills primary proposals is the fact that environmental regulatory rules cannot impose a more restrictive standard, limitation, or requirement than federal counterparts. The bill also requires state agencies to submit an evaluation of the economic impact of a proposed rule and the costs it would create for local governments and other entities affected by the rule.  Hopefully, this will provide more predictability and certainty for businesses.  

Keep watching for the redistricting maps. The public hearing on these maps will be held June 23 at the NC Museum of Natural Science with satellite hookups to remote locations yet to be determined. Consideration of changes to the proposed maps will be made based on comments and feedback from the public hearing. The complete set of state legislative and congressional maps are slated for release July 1, with similar public hearing tentatively set for July 7 to receive input from voters