NC Legislative Update

By Cady Thomas

Activity Updates

Legislative Meetings

  • Met with Senator Sawyer to give her an overview of CRMCA. She remembered the group from prior conversations and is interested in hearing about possible ways we can work with NCDOT.
  • Call with NCDOT Liaison, Johanna Reese, to discuss legislative priorities.
  • Meetings arranged with NCDOT COO Beau Memory and Representative Dean Arp

Destination 2030 Meeting was held on Feb 12 

  • NC is one of the fastest growing states in the country. (5th)

  • 7% below the level of travel from 2019.

  • ⅓ of roads are in mediocre or poor conditions. 14% of major locally and state-maintained roads in North Carolina are in poor condition and another 23% are in mediocre condition.

  • We are in the ballpark of other regions for roads that are in need of repair.

  • 9% of the bridges are structurally deficient.

  • Investment in transportation is critical to job creation.

    • 2 million jobs are tied directly to the transportation system.

    • Areas with highway improvements create jobs at 3 times the rate of those without.

Joint Transportation Committee Appropriations 

  • Several reports were made by NCDOT officials this week to the appropriations committee.

  • Those of particular importance are the Transportation Overview given on Feb. 24 and the Finance Report given on Feb. 25.

  • Important takeaways from the meetings:

    • Chairman McInnis focused on the lettings process in his comments on both days and making sure there is stability in this area.

    • GARVEE Issuance in September of $300 million

    • NC Bonds Issuance in October of $300 million

Bills and Legislation

SB 31 – Political Subdivisions/Local Bidders Notice – amends the procedures for letting certain public contracts by creating an additional regular or electronic mail notification requirement for contracts to be let by a political subdivision of the State in an amount equal to or more than $50,000 if requested by a person or business located within the jurisdictional boundary of the political subdivision.

SB 104 – Align PPP Tax Treatment to Federal Treatment – aligns NC tax law to the federal law to allow companies who received PPP loans to deduct the expenses paid with those funds from state taxes.

COVID 

Executive Order

Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 195 to take effect on Friday, February 26 that does the following:

  • Lifting the Modified Stay at Home order – no more curfew

  • Business – expand to 50% occupancy

  • Alcohol service extended to 11pm

  • Outdoor arenas, parks and other businesses can have more than 100 but only up to 30%

  • Larger indoor arenas with a capacity of more than 5k people are allowed up to 15% of capacity.

  • Indoor businesses open to 30% with a cap of 250 (bars, movie theaters, sports arenas)

  • Mass gathering limit increased to 25 indoor and 50 outdoors

Numbers

NC’s numbers in all categories are going down. This is great news as we continue to receive more vaccines each week and the approval of a third vaccine is near.  Numbers as of Feb 24:

  • 849,630 cases

  • 11,074 deaths

  • 1,530 currently hospitalized

  • 6% – percentage of positive tests each day

Other Important Items

New NC Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Appointed

Governor Cooper named Dionne Delli-Gatti as the new Secretary to replace Michael Regan who is joining the Biden Administration. Delli-Gatti comes to NC after serving as the Director of Southeast Climate and Energy for the Environmental Defense Fund. She is also an Air Force veteran.

NC Department of Labor COVID Worker Safety Lawsuit

Civil Rights and workers’ rights groups have filed a complaint with the NC Department of Labor claiming the state of North Carolina failed to protect workers from COVID-19. Part of the complaint focuses on the N.C. Department of Labor’s decision not to start rulemaking on COVID-19 safety in the workplace. When denied, then-Commissioner Cherie Berry said “the virus has not been proven likely to cause death or serious physical harm from the perspective of an occupational hazard.” Current-Commissioner Josh Dobson has not, to this point, decided to revisit rulemaking.