The House Select Committee
on Eminent Domain Powers is meeting this upcoming Tuesday at 9:00
A.M.  This may be the last time they meet.  Their work so far
has yielded a draft bill that would address some compensation issues
only.  For some reason, they are willing to provide better
compensation to businesses (which is great) but not to homeowners
(which isn’t so great).  I doubt there will be anything
earth-shattering addressed in the meeting except some tinkering with
this bill.  I really hope I’m wrong.  Please, prove me wrong.

The committee hasn’t had any real discussion on whether the
state needs a constitutional amendment–even if committee members are
opposed to a constitutional amendment, at least discuss the
issue.  North Carolinians deserve to know, on the record, why
their legislators are not taking the only real step to protect property
rights.  Hopefully, those on the committee that want a
constitutional amendment will speak up at the meeting and demand that
their views be reflected in whatever is provided to the legislature.

The committee hasn’t even addressed what “public use” should
mean–in other words, they have failed to discuss when the government
should be able to seize your property.  This is like a state
climate advisory group
not discussing the science of global warming!  Imagine if that
happened!  Wait, maybe that’s a bad example (“The group will not
discuss or debate the science of climate change”), but you get my point.

They haven’t even recommended that we need to expressly prohibit
economic development takings (Kelo-type takings) or prohibit all
takings for private uses (be it through a constitutional amendment or
legislation).

Tuesday is a big day for property rights in
NC.  We’ll see whether, according to the committee, North Carolina
citizens and property rights are more important than the government’s
need to seize private property.