Annexation reform is just a Moonwalk

The annexation reform bill, HB 524 is finally only on the House floor today. With such a tightly written title, it is virtually impossible to amend the bill without changing the title (which is prohibited), but Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, tries.

The Dollar amendment increases the time to a year that is allowed to gather the signatures on a petition to hold a referendum for a vote. The amendment passes, 76-37.

The debate on the bill includes thanks around to those who have worked for real reform, including Rep. Larry Brown, R-Forsyth, and Rep. Bruce Goforth, D-Buncombe. Supporters of this bill claim it is wide and sweeping change.  JLF blogs and a good Hood column have discussed the problems with the bill. Some members explain that they don’t like the bill, but they say it’s better than nothing and they’re willing to accept it as a small step toward reform. 

Rep. Kelly Alexander, D-Mecklenburg, says it “looks like democracy, but it’s not.” He compares it to the Michael Jackson dance step ? the moonwalk ? that looks like you’re moving forward, when you’re actually moving backward.  He says he’s not going to Moonwalk.

The vote on the bill is 89-27. The third reading (final House) vote is tomorrow.

(11:30am – July 23). update: Recorded votes on Dollar Amendment and Second Reading

Vote on Dollar Amendment – PASSED (76-37)

Voting YES:        

Democrats:
Braxton(D-Lenoir); Brisson(D-Bladen); Bryant(D-Nash); Coates(D-Rowan); Cole(D-Rockingham); England(D-Rutherford); Faison(D-Orange); Floyd,E.(D-Cumberland); Gill(D-Wake); Glazier(D-Cumberland); Goforth(D-Buncombe); Harrell(D-Wake); Harrison(D-Guilford); Hill(D-Columbus); Holliman(D-Davidson); Hughes(D-New Hanover); Jeffus(D-Guilford); Jones(D-Guilford); Lucas(D-Cumberland); Pierce(D-Scotland); Stewart(D-Nash); Sutton(D-Robeson); Tolson(D-Edgecombe); Warren, R.(D-Alexander); Whilden(D-Buncombe); Womble(D-Forsyth); Yongue(D-Scotland)    

Republicans:
Avila(R-Wake); Barnhart(R-Cabarrus); Blackwell(R-Burke); Blackwood(R-Union); Blust(R-Guilford); Boles(R-Moore); Brown(R-Forsyth); Brubaker(R-Randolph); Burr(R-Stanly); Burris-Floyd(R-Gaston); Cleveland(R-Onslow); Current(R-Gaston); Daughtry(R-Johnston); Dockham(R-Davidson); Dollar(R-Wake); Folwell(R-Forsyth); Frye(R-Mitchell); Gillespie(R-McDowell); Grady(R-Onslow); Guice(R-Transylvania); Gulley(R-Mecklenburg); Hilton(R-Catawba); Holloway(R-Stokes); Howard(R-Davie); Hurley(R-Randolph); Iler(R-Brunswick); Ingle(R-Alamance); Johnson(R-Cabarrus); Justice(R-Pender); Justus(R-Henderson); Langdon(R-Johnston); Lewis(R-Harnett); McComas(R-New Hanover); McCormick(R-Iredell); McElraft(R-Carteret); McGee(R-Forsyth); Mills(R-Iredell); Moore(R-Cleveland); Neumann(R-Gaston); Randleman(R-Wilkes); Rhyne; Sager(R-Wayne); Stam(R-Wake); Starnes(R-Caldwell); Steen(R-Rowan); Stevens(R-Surry); Tillis(R-Mecklenburg); West(R-Cherokee); Wiley(R-Guilford)

Voting NO:       

Democrats:
Adams(D-Guilford); Alexander, K.(D-Mecklenburg); Alexander, M.(D-Mecklenburg); Allen(D-Franklin); Bell(D-Sampson); Bordsen(D-Alamance); Carney(D-Mecklenburg); Cotham(D-Mecklenburg); Dickson(D-Cumberland); Earle(D-Mecklenburg); Farmer-Butterfield(D-Wilson); Fisher(D-Buncombe); Gibson(D-Anson); Goodwin(D-Richmond); Hall(D-Durham); Jackson(D-Wake); Love(D-Lee); Luebke(D-Durham); Mackey(D-Mecklenburg); Martin(D-Wake); McLawhorn(D-Pitt); Mobley(D-Hertford); Owens(D-Pasquotank); Parmon(D-Forsyth); Rapp(D-Madison); Ross(D-Wake); Spear(D-Washington); Tarleton(D-Watauga); Tucker(D-Duplin); Underhill(D-Craven); Wainwright(D-Craven); Warren, E.(D-Pitt); Weiss(D-Wake); Wilkins(D-Person); Williams(D-Beaufort)    

Republicans:
Killian(R-Mecklenburg); Samuelson(R-Mecklenburg)

Not Voting: Crawford(D-Granville); Michaux(D-Durham), Setzer(R-Catawba)
Absent: Haire(D-Jackson); Insko(D-Orange); Wray(D-Northampton)
 

Vote on Second Reading – PASSED (89-27)

Voting YES:        
Democrats:
Adams(D-Guilford); Braxton(D-Lenoir); Bryant(D-Nash); Coates(D-Rowan); Cole(D-Rockingham); Crawford(D-Granville); Dickson(D-Cumberland); England(D-Rutherford); Faison(D-Orange); Floyd,E.(D-Cumberland); Gibson(D-Anson); Gill(D-Wake); Glazier(D-Cumberland); Goforth(D-Buncombe); Harrell(D-Wake); Harrison(D-Guilford); Hill(D-Columbus); Holliman(D-Davidson); Hughes(D-New Hanover); Jeffus(D-Guilford); Jones(D-Guilford); Lucas(D-Cumberland); Luebke(D-Durham); McLawhorn(D-Pitt); Michaux(D-Durham), Pierce(D-Scotland); Rapp(D-Madison); Stewart(D-Nash); Sutton(D-Robeson); Tolson(D-Edgecombe); Underhill(D-Craven); Warren, E.(D-Pitt); Warren, R.(D-Alexander); Weiss(D-Wake); Whilden(D-Buncombe); Womble(D-Forsyth); Yongue(D-Scotland)    

Republicans:
Avila(R-Wake); Barnhart(R-Cabarrus); Blackwell(R-Burke); Blackwood(R-Union); Blust(R-Guilford); Boles(R-Moore); Brown(R-Forsyth); Brubaker(R-Randolph); Burr(R-Stanly); Burris-Floyd(R-Gaston); Cleveland(R-Onslow); Current(R-Gaston); Daughtry(R-Johnston); Dockham(R-Davidson); Dollar(R-Wake); Folwell(R-Forsyth); Frye(R-Mitchell); Gillespie(R-McDowell); Grady(R-Onslow); Guice(R-Transylvania); Gulley(R-Mecklenburg); Hilton(R-Catawba); Holloway(R-Stokes); Howard(R-Davie); Hurley(R-Randolph); Iler(R-Brunswick); Ingle(R-Alamance); Johnson(R-Cabarrus); Justice(R-Pender); Justus(R-Henderson); Killian(R-Mecklenburg); Langdon(R-Johnston); Lewis(R-Harnett); McComas(R-New Hanover); McCormick(R-Iredell); McElraft(R-Carteret); McGee(R-Forsyth); Mills(R-Iredell); Moore(R-Cleveland); Neumann(R-Gaston); Randleman(R-Wilkes); Rhyne; Sager(R-Wayne); Samuelson(R-Mecklenburg); Setzer(R-Catawba); Stam(R-Wake); Starnes(R-Caldwell); Steen(R-Rowan); Stevens(R-Surry); Tillis(R-Mecklenburg); West(R-Cherokee); Wiley(R-Guilford)

Voting NO:       

Democrats:
Alexander, K.(D-Mecklenburg); Alexander, M.(D-Mecklenburg); Allen(D-Franklin); Bell(D-Sampson); Bordsen(D-Alamance); Brisson(D-Bladen); Carney(D-Mecklenburg); Cotham(D-Mecklenburg); Earle(D-Mecklenburg); Farmer-Butterfield(D-Wilson); Fisher(D-Buncombe); Goodwin(D-Richmond); Hall(D-Durham); Jackson(D-Wake); Love(D-Lee); Mackey(D-Mecklenburg); Martin(D-Wake); Mobley(D-Hertford); Owens(D-Pasquotank); Parmon(D-Forsyth); Ross(D-Wake); Spear(D-Washington); Tarleton(D-Watauga); Tucker(D-Duplin); Wainwright(D-Craven); Wilkins(D-Person); Williams(D-Beaufort)    

Republicans: none

Absent: Haire(D-Jackson); Insko(D-Orange); Wray(D-Northampton)