City to sponsor public meeting wih ElectriCities CEO – Source: The Rocky Mount Telegram

The Rocky Mount City Council is hosting a public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday to discuss utilities with experts from ElectriCities and the N.C. Utilities Commission. (Read more)

See related:

ElectriCities

Town Hall Meeting Featuring Graham Edwards Pres. & CEO ElectriCities & Sam Watson NC Utilities Commission Deputy General Council & Members of the NC General Assembly

Updated Committee and Bill Information – Source: Rep. Angela R. Bryant

Updated Committee and Bill Information

NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Representative Angela R. Bryant

House of Representatives

Proudly Representing Halifax and Nash Counties, District 7

Volume IV, Issue 4                                                                                                              February 4, 2011

NEWS FROM RALEIGH…

I always welcome your comments, project updates, suggestions, and visits. My office door is always open to you!  As always, thank you for your support! 

AROUND THE DISTRICT & MORE

· HK on J and People’s Assembly Mass Demonstration and March to the NC Legislature, February 12th, assemble at 9:30am, in front of Shaw University, Estey Hall area.  March begins at 10am.  For more information visit the website at hkonj5@gmail or call NC NAACP state office toll-free, 1-866-NC-NAACP.

· The Entrepreneurial Farmer, February 21, 2011, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at Vernon G. James Research and Extension Center, Plymouth, NC.  Register by Feb. 17th at www.ncbiotech.org/AgBiotechFarmer.  The program is designed as a workshop to increase financial, business development.  The program will feature panel discussions, interactive sessions, and a look at how Northeastern North Carolina has been preparing for the future of AgBiotech.

· Please consider helping me with the meeting March 5th, 2011 at the O.I.C. building in Rocky Mount, N.C. 8:30am until 10:30 am.  For more information contact:  Anne Williams(2006 Grad) at 252-469-0516.

· The N.C. Center for Women in Public Service is now accepting applications for the 8th Annual Women in Office Institute, Session I will be held on Thursday June 23 through Sunday June 26.  Session II will be held on Thursday July 21 through Saturday July 23; Peace College Campus.  The Women in Office Institute is an intensive leadership program that prepares women to seek elected or appointed office. Participants will receive an introduction to what’s involved in public service work, including appointed and elected office.  Participants hone their leadership skills, prepare for political campaigning, and develop tools for effective and ethical public service.  Applications accepted February 1 – April 1. For more information contact Anne Mullan at 919-345-0256.

· The Golden LEAF Foundation Board of Directors voted to provide $108,000 to the Halifax Regional Medical Center Wound Care Center project.  This grant will provide funds to renovate a facility on the campus to help increase treatment of wound care and result in the creation of 24 jobs.

· The Golden LEAF Foundation Board of Directors voted to provide $128,000 to the City of Rocky Mount for upfit for a medical pavilion in the Douglas Street area.  This grant will pay for building upfit and support the creation of several jobs.

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

FAST PACE THIS WEEK—OPPOSED HEALTH CARE BILL

The pace of our work increased in the General Assembly this week, with committees beginning to meet and some bills reaching the House floor. We have also been attending briefings to understand the depth of the budget deficit the state faces. The governor has been asked to trim at least $400 million in spending over the next few months to help reduce the deficit in the coming fiscal year. We are also forced to make other cuts to budget, but I will be fighting to make sure we cut smartly and do the least amount of damage possible to education and job supporting programs.

I also want to let you know that I joined with 49 other legislators this week to oppose an effort to force North Carolina’s Attorney General to join pending legislation challenging the new federal health care reform law. It is a waste of the state’s limited resources to join a lawsuit that is already underway and that will bind North Carolina no matter how the courts ultimately rule. Also, the most recent polling on the reform effort shows that the largest percentage of those polled in the state support strengthening reform over repeal.

Thank you for this chance to share information with you. I am including summaries below of some of the bills filed recently that I believe will help North Carolina and I hope you do, too.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:  A committee looking for ways to continue promoting economic growth and stimulating job creation would be re-established under legislation filed in the House this week. The legislation would authorize the Committee on Global Engagement to study: the state’s current international activity in the business, government and education sectors; barriers to international trade that could be addressed by state legislation; options for targeting and recruiting international business to North Carolina and means to increase foreign investment in the state, among other duties. (H23)

CRIME: The state crime lab would work under the guidance of a forensic science advisory board and an ombudsman if the General Assembly approves legislation filed this week. The legislation is the result of a study committee put together after complaints about the quality and impartiality of the lab’s work. The bill (H27) would also rename the lab, require certification of forensic science professionals and clarify some of the state’s statutes on forensic evidence.

CHILD ADVOCACY CENTERS: We have asked for the 23 fully certified child advocacy centers in North Carolina to get expanded capability to conduct forensic interviewing for children who may have been victims of crime. We have also asked for more resources to help these centers develop comprehensive community responses to child abuse and to better coordinate criminal and treatment efforts to address child abuse. (H16)

Educate yourself, know who your appropriations/budgetr leaders are and communicate with them.

Senate Appropriations Committee

Co-chairs:

Sen. Peter Brunstetter (R) Forsyth County

Sen. Neal Hunt (R) Wake County

Sen. Richard Stevens (R) Wake County

House Appropriations Committee

Co-chairs:

Senior Chairman Rep. Brubaker (R) Randolph County

Rep. Barnhardt (R) Cabarrus County

Rep. Gillespie (R) Burke County, McDowell County

Rep. Johnson (R) Cabarrus County

Senate Appropriations for Justice and Public Safety

Co-chairs:

Sen. Harry Brown (R) Jones County, Onslow County

Sen. Thom Goolsby (R) New Hanover County

House Subcommittee for Justice and Public Safety

Co-chairs:

Rep. Guice (R) Henderson County, Polk County, Transylvania County

Rep. Randleman (R) Wilkes County

Senate Education Committee

Co-chairs:

Sen. Jean Preston

Sen. Dan Soucek

Sen. Jerry W. Tillman

House Education Committee

Rep. Bryan R. Holloway

Rep. James H. Langdon, Jr.

Senate Appropriations Natural and Economic Resources Committee

Co-chairs:

Sen. Don East

Sen. David Rouzer

House Appropriations Natural and Economic Resources Committee

Co-Chairs:

Rep. Carolyn H. Justice

Rep. Roger West

HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL: The state House voted 66-50 to pass a measure that seeks to block a provision requiring people to buy insurance beginning in 2014 or pay a penalty. The Republican-backed bill also aims to force Attorney General Roy Cooper to join a lawsuit to challenge the law. The bill now moves to the Senate. Republicans claimed that the federal law violates the basic freedoms of Americans to choose how to spend their money. Democrats argued during the three-hour debate that scrapping the requirement to buy health insurance would continue the current problem of the insured paying the medical costs of the uninsured. The victory margin casts doubt on whether the bill could survive a potential veto by Gov. Beverly Perdue, a Democrat.  (News and Observer)

CUTTING BACK: Republicans pushed through the state Senate’s budget committee a bill that seeks cost savings to help close next year’s shortfall both by spending cuts and taking cash from places like tobacco trust and economic incentives funds. The bill would direct Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue to find at least $400 million in budget savings this year, which Perdue has said she can meet. But the Legislature also would siphon money from more than 20 reserve and dedicated funds, including money from the Golden LEAF Foundation and two incentives programs the Perdue administration has used to lure the likes of Red Hat. Perdue criticized the move as wrong when the state is trying to recruit new jobs and to expand existing businesses. Sen. Richard Stevens, R-Wake, a primary sponsor of the bill, said it’s all part of a plan that could find up to $1 billion to put toward next year’s projected $3.7 billion budget gap and build up the state’s rainy-day reserves.(News and Observer)

CHARTER SCHOOLS: Senate Republicans proposed sweeping changes to the charter school law that went well beyond eliminating a restricting limiting the schools to no more than 100. The bill would open the door to let charter schools get funds from counties and state lottery proceeds to buy land and buildings. It also would create a new state commission that would license charter schools. Opposition to ending the current cap has withered as the General Assembly switched to the GOP this year and Republicans made it a campaign platform to permit more charter schools. Some Democrats and state officials questioned the constitutionality of creating a new charter schools panel separate from the State Board of Education, which currently has the final say on charters. Others worried about eliminating a requirement that a charter school’s population reasonably reflect an area’s racial and ethnic composition. Amendments and a possible committee vote are expected next week.  (News and Observer) 

QUICK BUDGET SCHEDULE: Republican budget leaders have given their underlings an aggressive schedule to get a budget to Gov. Beverly Perdue a month before the new fiscal year begins. Budget subcommittee co-chairs received a draft calendar laying out the process for approving a state spending plan by June 1. The proposal has the House approving its version by April 22, followed by the Senate doing the same three weeks later. Passing a budget on time is rare. The budget was approved on schedule last year for the first time since 2003. Perdue signed that bill into law June 30.  (News and Observer) 

BLACK CAUCUS: Sen. Floyd McKissick, D-Durham, is the head of the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus for the next two years at the General Assembly. The attorney will lead the 25-member caucus, which is slightly smaller compared to the start of the 2009 session after retirements and black Democrats who lost in the 2010 election. McKissick joined the Senate in 2007 and was previously a Durham city council member.  (News and Observer)   Rep. Angela Bryant, D-Nash/Halifax is treasurer of the Black Caucus.

INTRODUCED BILLS

The following bills have been introduced: 

House Bills:

*  HB 2   PROTECT HEALTH CARE FREEDOM. Filed 1/26/11. TO PROTECT THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

HEALTH CARE AND HEALTH INSURANCE. (Passed to the Senate)

*  HB 3   EXCLUSIONARY RULE/GOOD FAITH EXCEPTION.  Filed 1/26/11. TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE GOOD FAITH EXCEPTION TO THE EXCLUSIONARY RULE INTO STATE LAW.

*  HB 4  DISAPPROVE CLOSURE OF DOROTHEA DIX HOSPITAL. Filed 1/26/11. TO DISAPPROVE THE CLOSURE OF DOROTHEA DIX HOSPITAL.

*  HB 6 HOUSE PENSIONS COMMITTEE DUTIES. Filed 1/26/11. TO ALLOW THE STATUTORY DUTIES OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT TO BE CARRIED OUT BY THE HOUSE

COMMITTEE ON STATE PERSONNEL (Second & Third Readings)

*  HB 7  COMM. COLLEGES/OPT OUT OF FED’L LOAN PROGRAM. Filed 1/26/11. TO PROVIDE THAT

CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM MAY OPT

OUT OF PARTICIPATION IN THE WILLIAM D. FORD FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM.

*  HB 8  EMINENT DOMAIN. Filed 1/26/11. TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION OF NORTH CAROLINA TO

PROHIBIT CONDEMNATION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY TO CONVEY AN INTEREST IN THAT PROPERTY

FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT OF JUST COMPENSATION WITH RIGHT OF TRIAL BY JURY IN ALL CONDEMNATION CASES.

*  HB 9  INVOLUNTARY ANNEXATION MORATORIUM. Filed 1/26/11. TO ADOPT A MORATORIUM ON INVOLUNTARY ANNEXATIONS.

*  HB 11   NO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION/ILLEGAL ALIENS. Filed 1/27/11. PROHIBITING ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM ATTENDING NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

*  HB 12 MAKE SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS ILLEGAL. Filed 1/27/11. TO ADD SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS TO THE LIST OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, WHICH MAKES THE UNLAWFUL POSSESSION, MANUFACTURE, OR SALE OR DELIVERY OF SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS CRIMINAL OFFENSES AND TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF TRAFFICKING IN SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS.

*  HB 13 BAN MEPHEDRONE. Filed 1/27/11 TO ADD MEPHEDRONE TO THE LIST OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES WHICH MAKES THE  UNLAWFUL POSSESSION, MANUFACTURE, SALE, OR DELIVERY OF MEPHEDRONE A  CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

*  HB 18  FELONY FIREARMS ACT AMEND/TECH CORRECTION. Filed 1/31/11. TO CLARIFY THE EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THE LAW REGARDING THE RESTORATION OF FIREARMS RIGHTS AND THE LAW AMENDING THE FELONY FIREARMS ACT TO ALLOW CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE ALLOWED UNDER FEDERAL LAW.

*  HB 19  PERMANENT HOUSE RULES. Filed 1/31/11. ADOPTING THE PERMANENT RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE 2011 REGULAR SESSION.

*  HB 23  CREATE GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT STUDY COMMITTEE (=S 15). Filed 2/1/11. TO STUDY MEANS TO INCREASE NORTH CAROLINA’S GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT.

*  HB 24 EXPAND DUTIES OF ECONOMIC DEV. OVERSIGHT COMM. (=S 14). Filed 2/1/11. TO MODIFY AND EXPAND THE DUTIES OF THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

* HB 27 FORENSIC SCIENCES ACT. Filed 2/1/11. TO (1) CREATE THE NORTH CAROLINA FORENSIC SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD, (2) ENCOURAGE EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE SOURCES OF HUMAN ERROR IN FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS, (3) REQUIRE CERTIFICATION OF FORENSIC SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS, (4) RENAME THE STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION LABORATORY AS THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE CRIME LABORATORY, (5) CREATE THE POSITION OF OMBUDSMAN TO ENSURE THAT THE BEST FORENSIC PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES ARE UTILIZED IN THE STATE CRIME LABORATORY, (6) CLARIFY STATUTES THAT ALLOW FOR THE ADMISSIBILITY OF FORENSIC ANALYSES INTO EVIDENCE, (7) CLARIFY THE STATE’S OBLIGATION TO DISCLOSE TO THE DEFENDANT ALL INFORMATION RELATING TO THE TESTING OR EXAMINATION OF EVIDENCE AND TO PENALIZE OMISSION OR MISREPRESENTATION RELATING TO DISCLOSURE, AND (8) CLARIFY THAT STATE CRIME LABORATORY PERSONNEL SERVE THE PUBLIC AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE PRESERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE ACT SHALL BE ENTITLED "THE FORENSIC SCIENCES ACT OF 2011.”

NOTES

You don’t have to miss the Legislative Session. WRAL will live stream legislative sessions daily on their website.-www. wral.com.  Also, please remember that you can listen to some committee meetings and press conferences on the General Assembly’s website at http://www.ncleg.net. Once on the site, select "Audio," and then make your selection – House Chamber, Senate Chamber, Appropriations Committee Room or Press Conference Room.  You can also view the bills I sponsor and co-sponsor from this website address. 

ETHICS TIP

The State Ethics Commission is the primary source for most ethics questions regarding the ethical standards for legislators and legislative employees under the State Government Ethics Act.  The State Ethics Commission can be reached at 919-715-2071 or at ethics.commission@doa.nc.gov. (G.S. 138A-13).

The Legislative Ethics Committee is the primary source for ethics matters unique to the General Assembly.  These questions are primarily administrative, such as use of stationery, postage, and State equipment, other matters covered by the Ethical Principles and Guidelines, and advisory opinions issued by the Committee. (G.S. 120-104).  Erika Churchill, Tim Hovis and Denise Huntley Adams in the Research Division are available to assist with questions on these topics and can be reached at 919-301-1991.

The State Board of Elections is the primary source for answers to election law questions, including campaign finance issues.  The State Board of Elections can be reached at 919-733-7173 or at campaign.reporting@ncsbe.gov.

The Office of the Secretary of State is the primary source for information on who is registered as a lobbyist, lobbyist principal, or government liaison.  The Secretary is also the source for reports of expenditures filed by those persons.  The Lobbying Compliance Division of the Office of Secretary of State can be reached at 919-807-2170.

THANK YOU FOR CARING

Dear Rep. Bryant,

It is with sincere appreciation that we at Belmont acknowledge your most gracious recognition of our Honor Roll students.  At Belmont, our mission is to help students learn to be respectful, responsible, cooperative, and courteous by providing a safe environment with opportunities to learn and succeed.  It is our vision that every student will lean and achieve. We acknowledge your efforts in assisting with the goals that we, at Belmont hold in regard.  Our Honor Roll students are inspired by your support, and we are certain that your interest will encourage them to continue to strive for excellence. Sincerely, Kelvin M. Edwards, Sr. Principal.

Thank you for your support and have a great weekend! 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Contact:  Representative Angela R. Bryant, House of Representatives • NC House District 7•

North Carolina General Assembly • 542 Legislative Office Building • 300 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC  27603; • 919-733-5878-P • 919-754-3289-F •Angela.Bryant@ncleg.net or Karon Hardy, Legislative Assistant at bryantla@nc.leg.net.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Senate Bill 13

Senate Bill 13 USURPS JOB DEVELOPMENT FUNDS — LEAVING NO HOPE FOR ECON. DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL AREAS

 

YOU CAN LISTEN TO MEETING AT WWW.NCLEG.NET — TAKE ACTION NOW — CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND ANYLY REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVES OR SENATORS IN YOUR AREA

 

 

Total General Fund Availability 18,940,011,278

 

Adjustments to Availability: Senate Bill 897Availability

 

Improve Tax and Debt Collection Process 3,000,000

Modernize Sales Tax on Accommodations 1,700,000

Department of Revenue Settlement Initiative 110,000,000

Disproportionate Share 35,000,000

Increase Justice and Public Safety Fees 13,930,670 

Transfer from the Health and Wellness Trust Fund  17,045,800

Transfer from Wildlife Resources Commission 8,000,000 

Divert Funds from Scrap Tire Disposal Account 2,500,000

Divert Funds from White Goods Fund 1,200,000

Transfer from Mercury Pollution Prevention Fund 2,250,000

Transfer from Bladen Lakes Special Fund 150,000

Transfer from DACS – N.C. State Fair 1,000,000

Transfer from ECU Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lease and Equipment 

Fund 1,000,000

Transfer from Motorfleet Internal Services Fund 14,000,000

Transfer from Golden LEAF Funds 67,563,760

Transfer from Tobacco Trust Fund 2,800,000

 

Information Technology Fund 1,000,000

Information Technology Internal Service Fund 7,586,800

ITS Wireless Fund 5,000,000 (911)

Correction Enterprise Fund 3,000,000

One North Carolina Fund 5,208,333

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (various 50

special funds) 1,500,000

Farmland Preservation Trust Fund 1,800,000 

Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission Fund 950,000

Industrial Development Utility 2,500,000

Development Investment Grants (JDIG) 3,000,000

SWCCREP/Expansion 500,000 

Aquariums Special Fund 1,500,000 

Parks and Recreation Trust Fund 8,500,000 

Industrial Commission – IT Projects Fund 1,000,000 

E-Commerce Reserve 4,630,891 

 

ADD  157,456,866

 

 

REVERSIONS TO THE GENERAL FUND 18

SECTION 3.1.(a) Effective June 30, 2011, the following amounts are reverted to the General Fund: 

 

Code Code Description 22

11000 1900 General Assembly Reserve 1,901,522 

13085 1900 Department of Insurance Reserve 1,150,693

SECTION 3.1.(b) G.S. 143C-1-2(b) does not apply to the reversion from the 25 General Assembly Reserve in subsection (a) of this section. 

 

TRANSFER GOLDEN LEAF FUNDS

SECTION 4.(a) Pursuant to Section 2(b) of S.L. 1999-2, the fifty percent (50%) of 29 the 2011 annual installment payment to the North Carolina State Specific Account that would  have been transferred to The Golden L.E.A.F. (Long-Term Economic Advancement Foundation), Inc., is transferred to a General Fund account within the Settlement Reserve Fund to be used to support General Fund appropriations for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The Attorney General shall take all necessary actions to notify the court in the action entitled State of North Carolina v. Philip Morris Incorporated, et al., 98 CVS 14377, in the General Court of Justice, Superior Court Division, Wake County, North Carolina, and the administrators of the State Specific Account established under the Master Settlement Agreement of this action by the General Assembly redirecting the payment set forth in this section. 

SECTION 4.(b) A General Fund Account is established in the Settlement Reserve Fund. In 2011, the portion of the Master Settlement Agreement payment identified in Section 40 6(1) of S.L. 1999-2 shall be credited to the General Fund Account. The State Controller shall transfer all funds in the General Fund Account to the General Fund. 

SECTION 4.(c) Funds transferred from the General Fund Account to the General 43 Fund shall be deposited in Nontax Budget Code 19978 (Intrastate Transfers) to support General 44 Fund appropriations for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

 

TRANSFER HEALTH AND WELLNESS TRUST FUNDS

SECTION 5. Section 2.2(i) of S.L. 2009-451, as rewritten by Section 2.2(f) of S.L. 48 2010-31, reads as rewritten:

"SECTION 2.2.(i) Notwithstanding G.S. 143C-9-3, of the funds credited to the Health 50 Trust Account, the sum of ten million three hundred ninety-seven thousand dollars ($10,397,000)twenty-two million forty-five thousand eight hundred dollars ($22,045,800) that 1 would otherwise be deposited in the Fund Reserve shall be transferred from the Department of 2 State Treasurer, Budget Code 23460 (Health and Wellness Trust Fund), to the State Controller 3 to be deposited in Nontax Budget Code 19978 (Intrastate Transfers) to support General Fund 4 appropriations for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 fiscal years. These funds shall be 5transferred on or after April 30, 2010."

 

TRANSFER TOBACCO TRUST FUNDS

SECTION 6. Section 2.2(h) of S.L. 2009-451, as rewritten by Section 2.2(i) of S.L. 9 2010-31, reads as rewritten: 

"SECTION 2.2.(h) Notwithstanding G.S. 143C-9-3, of the funds credited to the Tobacco 11 Trust, the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000)seven million eight hundred thousand dollars 12 ($7,800,000) shall be transferred from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 13 Budget Code 23703 (Tobacco Trust Fund), to the State Controller to be deposited in Nontax 14 Budget Code 19978 (Intrastate Transfers) to support General Fund appropriations for the 15 2010-2011 fiscal year. These funds shall be transferred on or after April 30, 2011."

 

TRANSFER FROM THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION – IT FUND

SECTION 6.1. Section 14.15 of S.L. 2009-451 reads as rewritten:

"SECTION 14.15. The For the 2010-2011 fiscal year, the North Carolina Industrial 20 Commission may retain the additional revenue generated as a result of an increase in the fee 21 charged to parties for the filing of compromised settlements. All over realized receipts. These 22 funds shall be used for the purpose of replacing existing computer hardware and software used 23 for the operations of the Commission. These funds may also be used to prepare any assessment 24 of hardware and software needs prior to purchase and to develop and administer the needed 25 databases and new Electronic Case Management System, including the establishment of two 26 time-limited positions for application development and support and mainframe migration. The 27 Commission may not retain any fees under this section unless they are in excess of the former 28 two-hundred-dollar ($200.00) fee charged by the Commission for filing a compromised 29 settlement."  

Two important bills sponsored by Rep. Bryant passed and have been sent to the governor for signature:

Two important bills sponsored by Rep. Bryant passed and have been sent to the governor for signature:

HB 1691- Use of 911 Funds – http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/Bills/House/PDF/H1691v6.pdf. The reforms contained in this bill have been a priority of our county governments and telecom providers for almost 10 years and was requested by both Halifax and Nash Counties in District 7.

The bill is the result of an 18 month study process by a task force of the 911 Board and the result of six study committee meetings by the House Select Committee  on the Use of 911 funds that involved Rep. Bryant and former Rep. Lucy Allen. as co-chairs, Reps. Faison, Sager and West.  Rocky Mount Asst. City Manager Charles Penny was a local member of the 911 Board Study Task Force.  The bill represents a consensus approach to move 911 service to the next level and generation in five ways:

1- Improving public safety by creating minimum statewide standards for 911 service.

2- Providing needed funds to our local jurisdictions for any public safety needs, which can include, but are not limited to, radios, microwave links and antennae and towers which are not allowed as 911 fund expenses.  Local jurisdictions may use 50% of their fund balance on the date this act becomes effective for this purpose and have two fiscal years within which to complete these expenditures. This will provide over $50 million to our local jurisdictions for public safety needs.

3- Expands the use of funds distributed to the 911 centers to cover expenses related to the receiving and dispatching of calls within the center and related training. Current funding is limited to equipment related to incoming calls only.

4- Saves costs for local jurisdictions by authorizing the board to engage in statewide projects that will provide economies of scale for all 911 centers as we move to the next generation of technology.

5- Authorizes a new distribution formula for 911 funds that is based on what it actually costs to deliver a minimum standard of service in each jurisdiction.

This bill fully addresses the needs of 120 or so primary 911 Centers around the state and also takes into account the 30-40 secondary 911 centers to the extent they have interlocal funding agreements with primary centers. The bill also provides for the study of the needs of secondary 911 Centers.  We are continuing to move forward in a transition from before 2007 when each locality assessed its own 911 fee for land lines ranging from 50 cents/line to $3/line, and the board collected a separate wireless fee of 70 cents/line. In 2007 legislation we moved to a combined statewide 911 fee that is capped at $.70/subscriber for land line and wire line service and is still distributed to local 911 Centers based on a base amount equal to the fees they collected for fiscal year 06-07 under their varied fee assessments. The new distribution method will be designed and based on the amount it actually costs each unique  jurisdiction to deliver the 911 service in its area and meet standards and changing technology requirements.

HB 2066 – Special Retirement Allowance – http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/Bills/House/PDF/H2066v5.pdf; This bill was requested by Angela Reid with the Rocky Mt. Dept of Human Resources and will be a benefit for all state and local government employees.

1. Allows all state and local government employees to make a one-time transfer of any portion of their 401K or 457 funds to the appropriate retirement system for one payment. This benefit is similar to the special allowance that law enforcement retirees have always had and is now also expanded for them to allow any part of the 401K to be transferred instead of requiring all of the fund to be transferred.
2. The payment to the employee is for their lifetime with two options for a guaranteed return of their transferred amount to fully protect their heirs or estate.  The same survivor options will be available as with regular retirement as well as options for cost of living (COLA) increases.
3. The retirement system is authorized to charge a one-time fee for the transfer limited to the actual administrative costs of the transfer.
4. The transfer can be made at any time during the retirement.
5. The retirement board is required to provide educational materials to explain the relationship between the transferred amount and the monthly benefit and to explain the impact of this election on heirs and beneficiaries and the impact of any costs and fees involved.
6. The benefit becomes effective on Jan. 1, 2011.

See related:

Rep. Angela Bryant