iThere will be no state budget, veto overrides, or other legislative progress until August. This week's schedule for committee meetings is also vacant, so no pending legislation is being discussed.
House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) informed the few attendees at a brief meeting last Thursday morning that the override votes on the four vetoes from Governor Roy Cooper would now be held on August 7 and it was unlikely any other votes would be held until then. This includes the biennial budget for the state, which was meant to go into effect on July 1.
The August timing is based on leadership’s need to ensure there are enough attendees (three-fifths of members present and voting) required to override a veto.
A budget was approved by the House in early April, but the Senate made changes that were later rejected by the House on May 24. That resulted in the budget being sent to a conference committee to negotiate a compromise. Which has yet to happen.
“I expect a significant number of votes the week of Aug. 7,” Moore said. “Hopefully, the budget will be on schedule to be discussed that week, too. There are a lot of negotiations that must happen for a conference report to be agreed upon by the chambers. There is no need to have members voting on a smattering of bills.”
Moore went on to say that there was a “chance some other bills will get a vote the week of the 31st, but those will not be overrides.”
The budgets approved by the Senate and the House differ significantly. Many of the headlines have focused on the various raises for teachers and state employees. Most state employees would have received raises of 5 percent under the Senate budget, and teachers would have received raises of 4.5 percent, both distributed over two years. For state employees, the House sought raises of at least 7.5 percent and an average of 10.2 percent for teachers.
NC DHHS TO KICKSTART MEDICAID EXPANSION PROCESS
Starting on October 1, Governor Roy Cooper's administration hopes to expand Medicaid coverage to hundreds of thousands of low-income adults, but that deadline is contingent upon lawmakers passing the final requirement for putting into effect the expansion legislation he signed into law months ago.
DHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley disclosed on Wednesday that the state Department of Health and Human Services has an agreement with federal Medicaid regulators to start expanding Medicaid quickly after elected officials have finished the necessary steps to carry it out.
A clause in the legislation stipulates that before expansion is approved by the federal government and put into effect, a separate state budget law must also be passed. The House and Senate Republicans are still negotiating over tax cuts and how to earmark billions of dollars into reserves, even though that budget was supposed to be in place by June 30.
The state is beginning the necessary public notices for beneficiaries, counties, and health care providers, including opening a period for public comments on the state's plans. According to DHHS, it would have taken 90 to 120 days to implement Medicaid expansion, but the agreement with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid will cut it to 30 days.
With the passage of the Medicaid expansion bill by the General Assembly and the Governor's signature, up to 600,000 adults who make too much money to be eligible for traditional Medicaid but not enough to be eligible for even heavily subsidized private insurance will now be covered by the government-funded health program.
According to Kinsley, the October 1 start date is feasible as long as his agency receives formal approval from elected officials to proceed by September 1. Otherwise, the next start date would have to be December 1 or, in the event that action is significantly postponed, early 2024.
DRAFT CASINO LEGISLATION PROPOSES $1.5 BILLION INVESTMENT
In an update to lottery news shared in the July 21 edition of the Old North State Report, WRAL News has obtained a draft of proposed legislation revealing that the state would award a single business the right to develop three casinos across the state as part of a new $1.5 billion investment.
Although the bill's specific language has not been made public, lawmakers have discussed its general outline. The draft bill provides more details on the proposal to increase legal gambling in the state and corroborates some of what legislative leaders have said.
On July 21, House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger provided an overview of the discussions taking place regarding casino proposals as leaders try to come to an agreement on a compromise budget.
Moore told reporters that the casinos would be in Anson, Nash, and Rockingham counties. These counties are not specifically mentioned in the draft bill, dated July 11. Rather, it lays out requirements for eligible counties, such as being located east of Interstate 77, a border county, or one that is traversed by Interstate 95, having a population of less than 100,000, and being one of the 40 most economically distressed counties in the state.
The proposed legislation directs the Secretary of Administration to start soliciting proposals by September 1 from businesses with at least 10 years of experience in the commercial gaming sector and who intend to invest at least $1.5 billion in private funds (at least $500 million at each location) and add at least 5,250 jobs. After that 60-day period, the Secretary of Administration would have another 60 days to "select a business to be its binding recommendation" to the Secretary of Commerce.
Penalties for failing to meet investment or job-creation goals are included in the draft bill. A 22.5 percent excise tax on gross gaming revenue would be paid by the casinos.
Video gaming terminals (VGTs) and video lottery terminals (VLTs) are not covered in the draft bill. According to Moore, as part of the casino negotiations, the legalization of slot machine-like games is being discussed.
GOVERNOR VETOES CHARTER SCHOOLS BILL
A bill that sought to allow significant changes to the state's charter school system has been vetoed by Governor Roy Cooper, likely triggering another override conflict with the GOP-led General Assembly.
A cap on enrollment growth at charter schools with low academic performance would be lifted under House Bill 219, the "Charter Schools Omnibus," which would also enable charter schools to gradually add students and grade levels without obtaining state permission.
Additionally, it would enable schools to give preference to children from particular preschools. Currently, the law mandates that admissions be made via lottery rather than by preference. Additionally, it would permit charter schools to enroll and charge tuition for out-of-state and international students.
The bill's biggest modification would permit charter schools to apply for taxpayer funding for capital expenses like building purchases, renovations, or construction. Charter schools are currently required to fund and secure their own facilities. Charters' operating expenses are covered by state and local taxes, but not their capital requirements.
Counties would have the option, but not the obligation, to levy taxes to raise the necessary funds for charters.
The bill passed both chambers of the General Assembly with support from all Republicans and at least one Democrat, making it a likely candidate for a veto override when lawmakers reconvene on August 7. Five other veto overrides are also on the calendar.
CONTENTIOUS EDUCATION BILL MAY NOT MOVE THIS SESSION
Senate Bill 90, a broad and contentious education bill, will most likely not be heard this session, according to House Speaker Tim Moore.
The legislation, which had already been approved by the Senate, was originally introduced to establish protocols for student searches. A few hours before it was scheduled to be heard by the House Education Committee, it was amended to include two dozen new provisions, many of which deal with parental involvement and control in the state's K–12 educational system. Following worries and confusion from lawmakers, school administrators, and others, the House committee removed it from the agenda just before the July 12 meeting.
The bill included a number of provisions relating to public and school libraries and would have given outside organizations more authority over the decision to select books. It would have allowed librarians and school administrators to be prosecuted for permitting certain materials to end up in the hands of children. It would have required librarians to keep books that would be deemed too adult in an area that would be designated for an older audience. According to the proposal, no library books could describe sexual acts in any way.
As revised, Senate Bill 90 would also make it simpler for parents to remove school administrators and for students to switch schools. It would also revoke children's library cards if they do not have a parent's written consent.
In total, the bill suggests dozens of amendments marketed as ways to give parents more influence over their children's education. As amended, the bill would:
- mandate that teachers notify parents if a student expresses doubts about their gender or requests to use alternative pronouns;
- establish new guidelines for selecting textbooks and library books;
- revoke an existing law that permits medical professionals to treat minors for mental health conditions without informing their parents;
- permit charter schools to mandate that female students wear skirts if school administrators so desire; and
- enable parents to file legal claims against superintendents of school districts for violating their "fundamental right to parent" their children.
Although Moore stated the bill is probably dead for the current session, hotly contested bills are frequently re-filed and re-considered in subsequent years.
