House Bill 524, the annexation reform bill, is on the House floor for third reading today.

Representative Blust, R-Guilford, immediately proposes an amendment that would alter the public vote portion of the bill, limiting the referendum to those people in the areas to be affected by the annexation — instead of the entire municipality, as the bill currently specifies.

The Chair (Rep. Wainwright standing in for Speaker Hackney) tells Blust that because his amendment would require the title of the bill to change (which again, is prohibited), he must first make a motion to suspend the rules. Rep Blust asks for the rules to be suspended so the amendment can be considered.

Rules Chairman Rep Owens, D-Pasquotank, says there’s no need to suspend the rules and asks members to defeat the motion to do so, saying that there was plenty of time to put forward amendments during the committee process.

Rep Luebke, D-Guilford, asks Rep Blust why he didn’t submit this amendment while the bill was in the Finance Committee. 

Rep Blust responds and says that he tried to submit the amendment when the bill was in Finance, but it was ruled out of order. He asks to let the amendment be heard, which would give the people a chance to vote. Urges the members to do the right thing.

Rep Blust, Rep Owens, and Rep Luebke go back and forth, arguing over whether there was enough time to submit amendments during the committee process.

Rep Lewis, R-Harnett, says that “hiding behind this rule is a waste of time” and says its about giving the people a vote.

The vote on the motion to suspend the rules is taken and the motion fails (54-61). The vote appears to largely be along party lines.

Rep Brown, R-Forsyth, proposes a second amendment. Again, the Chair rules that there must first be a motion to suspend the rules because the amendment would change the title of the bill. Rules Chair Owens once again speaks out against suspending the rules on the floor.

Rep Moore, R-Cleveland, directs a question to the Chair and asks if the amendment would indeed change the title. Wainwright says the ruling that the amendment would change the title stands. Rep Lewis asks if the amendment can be considered in sections so as to ensure that the title is not affected. Wainwright says the amendment is not divisible. Rep Stam, R-Wake, speaks in favor of suspending the rules.

The second motion to suspend the rules fails (54-61). The vote again appears to be along party lines.

No more amendments are proposed and now the debate is over the bill itself. Rep Guice, R-Transylvania, says that the people of North Carolina deserve better. Speaks about the “extreme importance” of property rights, saying that this issue needs debate, discussion, and involvement of all the members. He says that this bill is a start, but that we need to stop forced annexation and do more to protect personal property rights.

Rep Brown agrees and says that we should have done more, but that this bill is a slight step forward and that he would rather be moving forward than moving backward.

The bill passes third reading (83-31). The bill now goes over to the Senate for consideration.