The Raleigh Report
From the Office of Cullie Tarleton
May 26, 2009
After two weeks of long sessions and committee meetings dealing with bills that have no monetary impact, the House of Representatives has turned its focus to crafting the next budget. The outlook is grim, as I have shared with you a number of times, but we are doing our best to accommodate a 20 percent drop in revenue.
As always, education will remain our top priority and it’s a priority we share with both Gov. Perdue and Senate budget writers. Education cannot be spared from cuts, though, since it comprises nearly 60 percent of our budget. Our aim is to trim judiciously so that we protect the classroom and allow our children to receive the best possible instruction we can provide.
Since we celebrate Memorial Day this week, it is fitting to acknowledge some measures we have taken this legislative session to improve the lives of veterans and members of the Armed Forces in North Carolina. These measures include everything from making it easier for them to renew their drivers’ licenses and cast timely ballots to protecting our severely injured veterans from being denied unemployment insurance benefits if they lose a job as a result of injuries sustained in war.
Memorial Day was established in 1868 to pay tribute to individuals who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. We must never forget the importance of their oaths and their sacrifices.
As always, I welcome any thoughts or ideas you may have to share with me and I hope you will let me know if I can be of any service.
Transportation
Two bills would make it easier for members of the military reserves to renew their drivers’ licenses after they receive deployment orders. A bill that has passed the Senate (SB 809) would allow members of the Armed Forces to renew their drivers’ licenses upon receipt of deployment orders and give them a 60-day grace period for an expired license after they are released from military duty outside of the United States. A second bill (HB 98) would have the same provisions as SB 809, except that it would allow only a 30-day grace period.
The NC Division of Motor Vehicles would be authorized to produce military wartime veteran special plates based on defined periods of war under a bill that has passed the House (HB 1143). The bill is now in the Senate Committee on Finance.
Legislation meant to ensure that certain special license plates that are available to military veterans are issued to the right people has passed the House (HB 1094). The bill is intended to prevent impostors from purchasing certain military license plates including plates that indicate the recipient of a Purple Heart, Distinguished Service Cross or Bronze Star. Applicants for these military plates would have to provide proof that they qualify for the plates. The bill is now in the Senate Committee on Commerce.
Employment
State and local governments would be encouraged to use military veteran contractors under a bill that has passed the House (HB 912). State policy already encourages and promotes the use of small contractors, minority contractors, physically handicapped contractors, and female contractors in state purchasing of goods and services. The bill has now been sent to the Senate.
House lawmakers have passed legislation regarding unemployment insurance compensation for certain severely disabled veterans who have been discharged due to a service-connected disability (HB 1124). If enacted, severely injured veterans could receive unemployment benefits if they lose their job because of a disability incurred or aggravated during active military service or because of the veteran’s absence from work to obtain care and treatment for that disability. The bill is now in the Senate Committee on Commerce.
Miscellaneous
North Carolina’s absentee voting laws would be improved under a measure that has passed the House (HB 614). The bill is specifically intended to improve the ability of military and overseas voters to cast timely ballots. The bill is now in the Senate Committee on Judiciary I.
Notes
Several of us honored former Insurance Commissioner Jim Long with a Resolution last week for his nearly 30 years of service to the state. Jim was Insurance Commissioner from 1985 until his retirement last year. His 24 years on the Council of State was the third-longest tenure of any official. Long was a native of Alamance County who also served two terms in the House of Representatives. Jim had elected not to run for re-election and he and his wife Peg had purchased property in Ashe County where they were going to build their retirement home. I kidded Jim about becoming one of my constituents. He died in February as the result of a stroke. He was 68.
I’ve received several emails about H1101 since I am one of the primary sponsors. H1101 was prepared in response to the Water Allocation Study completed last year. As Chairman of the Water Resources and Infrastructure Committee, I allowed my name to be put on the bill. There is absolutely nothing in the bill dealing with private wells and certainly not metering private wells. I would never allow a bill with my name on it to do anything that ridiculous.
We’ve had several meetings of the House Select Committee on Economic Recovery of which I’m a member. I continue to support using the stimulus money to create jobs and putting our citizens back to work.
Congratulations to Patrick Fuller of Deep Gap who has been selected by Governor Purdue for a 10 week summer internship as part of the N C Government Internship Program. Patrick is a junior environmental and natural resources major at Clemson University.
I was honored last week to receive one of Rising Stars Green Tie Awards from the Conservation Council of N C. At my age, to be considered a rising star is to say the least, flattering.
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