They say watching laws being made is like watching sausage being made. I disagree, sausage is prettier and mucy more appetizing than watching our General Assembly in these final hours.
Last night for the first time, the House finally said enough is enough on these corporate giveaways with companies making demands for more and more Rep Jennifer Weiss, D Wake said it best when she described the corporate giveaways as highway robbery. Senate Bill 825, Job Maintenance and Capital Development Fund (JMAC) Modifications was defeated on a third reading vote of 52-54 after a close vote on second reading of 54-52. A later motion to reconsider it failed by a vote of 51-54. The failed bill would have given $9 to $10 million to Domtar, a Martin County paper mill to convert it?s manufacturing plant. The usual arguments were made that the giveaways are necessary to keep jobs, etc, buut finally legislators said, enough is enough. On behalf of those of us paying the bills, i.e. taxpayers of North Carolina, thank you.
See here and here for updates on this one.
House Bill 291, Natural Hair Care Licensure/Cosmetic Act made it through the House. It includes a requirement that in order to legally braid hair in North Carolina, one must undergo 300 hours of training. To put that in perspective, it takes 60 to 65 hours of training to receive an associate?s degree in most programs offered at North Carolina Community Colleges. Fifty-seven House members thought this was reasonable. Apparently none of them attended an eighth grade slumber party, where everyone learns to braid hair.
House Bill 1305, Beach Plan Changes, which shores up the State?s coastal property insurance plan just in time for hurricane season passed both bodies and sailed right over for the governor?s signature. JLF has riden the wave on this issue here and here.
A controversial union sponsored bill, House Bill 1292, Employment of Noncertified School Personnel would have added requirements for dismissal reporting for noncertified school personal. Sen Tony Rand and bill propenent just moved on the Senate floor to displace the bill and delay it until the short session in May.
The House went home last night. The Senate plans a full and final day of work today, where anything left on the table at the end of the day will die (annexation reform). The House will return Monday and hopes to finish up their unfinished business on Tuesday. The Senate is not coming back after today. Any issues they don’t get to in the next day or two will have to wait until May when they reconvene for the short session.
In these final hours, anything is game, the rules are applied only and how those in charge see fit and fairness, democracy and representative government are pushed, no, shoved aside.
