Here’s an upcoming schedule of some very important property rights bills that will be considered in the House:
Eminent Domain Amendment
When and Where: Tomorrow, 10:00 am, 415 LOB
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Justice and Public Safety
HB 1268 is a poorly drafted constitutional amendment that I have explained would be worse for property owners if passed than if the legislature did nothing.
The bill would authorize the abuse of blight laws in the state constitution. It also would fail to keep the government from making end runs around any prohibition.
The amendment needs to define blight properly (something like “property that is a clear harm to the health and safety of the public”) and should require that the government have the burden of proving that a taking is really for a proper public use (also, it should be required to show that a taking wouldn’t have occurred but for that valid public use).
Annexation “Reform” Bill
When and Where: Thursday, 8:30 am, Room 544 LOB
House Finance Committee
The question is whether the House Finance Committee will show the same disrespect for citizens that the Judiciary II Committee did–as you will recall, the J-2 Committee not only failed to pass a single amendment that provides any real reform, but also intentionally tried to prevent anyone else in the House from amending the bill (HB 524).
The Dirt is More Important than People Act of 2009 (not the official title, but should be)
When and Where: Thursday, Noon, 643 LOB
House Committee on Environment & Natural Resources
Should the government be able to seize your house even if it has satisfactory alternatives to taking your house? To date, the legislature has answered this question in the affirmative.
To add insult to injury, this bill (SB 600) shows more concern for a mushroom than a family and its home. I have written more about this here and here.
The bill should require the government to show it has no feasible alternative to seizing a property (this includes all types of property, not just those with conservation easements).
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Maybe the most important meeting of them all will be next Tuesday (2:00 pm, 1228 LB) when the House Water Resources and Infrastructure Committee will discuss SB 967 (Creation of Yadkin River Trust). This bill would position NC so it could seize Alcoa’s hydropower dam. The issue is as much about nationalization of an industry as much as eminent domain.