Crossover Bills Still in Play

On Wednesday, May 14, the North Carolina General Assembly will reconvene at noon for what is called the “short session.” One thing that people may not realize about the short session is there are crossover bills that will be eligible to be considered.

According to the General Assembly Website crossover bills are:

a. Senate bills and resolutions introduced in 2013 that passed third reading in the Senate and were received by the House in 2013, or

b. House bills and resolutions introduced in 2013 that passed third reading in the House by May 16, 2013 and were received in the Senate by May 20, 2013

c. However, any bill otherwise meeting these deadlines is not eligible for consideration if it:

i. Violates the rules of the receiving chamber; and

ii. Is disposed of in the other house by tabling, unfavorable committee report, indefinite postponement, or failure to pass any reading

A few of the bills to look out for are:

H8 Eminent Domain – This measure would amend the state constitution to provide badly needed protection for property rights. Under the law, local and state governments can use the power of eminent domain to seize private property for public uses. Historically, eminent domain has been used to build roads, schools, and other public projects. However, recent case law (Kelo v. City of New London) has extended the interpretation of “public use” to include economic development projects. Governments have increasingly started seizing private property for things like parking lots and casinos – projects that have no direct public utility. House Bill 8 would clearly define all acceptable interpretations of public use in order to prevent eminent domain abuse.

H31 and H40 Amend Habitual DWI – The bills proposed that “a person convicted of two or more offenses of impaired driving and violating this section shall be punished as a Class F felon and shall be sentenced to a minimum active term of not less than 12 months of imprisonment, which shall not be suspended. Sentences imposed under this subsection shall run consecutively with and shall commence at the expiration of any sentence being served.”

H872 Protect NC Right to Work – This bill would void and make unenforceable any contract requiring a contractor or subcontractor to use union labor on the job.

H109 Motorcycle Helmet Law – This bill would provide a study to determine whether North Carolina should allow motorcyclists to ride without a helmet.

H824 EpiPens in Schools – EpiPens are often used in allergic reactions. This bill would require schools to have a supply of these auto-injectors on school grounds during school events and after school activities on school property. The school would have someone who is trained to administer the drug.

H156 Honest Lottery Act – Marketing and advertising for the NC Lottery is something most of us see in our everyday life. This act will provide stricter guidelines to who and what the NC Lottery can and cannot do in their marketing and advertising.

H465 No Possession of Firearms/Undocumented Aliens – This act would amend an act that is already a law. The new act would not allow people without proper documentation and who are not lawfully present in the United States to possess a firearm. If accused of being in possession of a firearm, they will be charged with a Class I Felony.

While this is a short list of some of the bills eligible for the short session, feel free to go to www.ncleg.net and look for “The Memorandum on Bills Eligible for Consideration by the General Assembly during the 2014 Regular Session of the 2013 General Assembly” to see a complete list.