Bill Update for the Week of June 11

The big news at the legislature this week was the Senate version of the state budget.  The Senate took a very "minimalist" approach to the budget - eliminating dozens of state funded programs for children, people with disabilities, and the aging population. This version of the budget was approved by the Senate along party lines on Thursday.  The House voted not to concur with the Senate budget on the same day, and a conference committee was appointed. The conference committee will meet in private over the weekend in the hopes of working out a compromise budget.  Some Senate members project that they will adjourn as early as next week.

In the meantime, bills on non-budget related matters are working through the process.

Bill Update

HB 614, Enact Volunteer Health Care Services Act (Jordan, Glazier, Lucas). HB 614 provides for regulation of volunteer health care providers under certain circumstances. This is a House bill that was originally filed for another purpose but was changed in the Senate. It is scheduled for a concurrence vote in the House next week. 

HB 1048, Incapacity to Proceed Amendmets (Randleman, Hurley, Faircloth, McGuirt sponsors). HB 1048 seeks to make various changes to NC law applying to individuals who do not have the capacity to proceed in criminal matters. DRNC participated in the study committee from which these recommendations came and we support the bill.  It was approved by the  House Judiciary A committee and the full House this week.  It has been referred to the Senate Judiciary II committee.  We are hopeful that the Senate will allow a meeting of this committee so that the bill may proceed to become law.

HB 1075, LME/MCO Governance (Dollar, Burr sponsors).  HB 1075 suggests several changes to the laws governing the local management entities, including board structure, the ability of a county to disengage from an LME, the ability to own property and borrow money, and to keep confidential "competitive health care information."  It also proposes provisions that seek to provide continuity in guardianship for individuals who have been wards of LMEs.  The current version of the bill creates a new Part 2B governing Behavioral Health Authorities, an entirely new entity under the law.  The bill was removed from the Senate calendar last week and re-calendared for the upcoming week.

HR 1191, Resolution of Disapproval of Reorganization (Cleveland).  HR 1191 seeks to disapprove the portion of Executive Order 85, issued last year by the Governor, that ordered the merger and reorganization of several government departments and divisions, including the merger of Vocational Rehabilitation, Services for the Blind and Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  The bill has been approved by a House committee and is eligible for a floor vote but was withdrawn from the calendar and put in the House Rules committee. 

SB 707, School Violence Prevention Act (Tucker). As originally filed, SB 707 had a number of provisions that DRNC objected to.  However, the bill has been significantly modified since it was originally filed and we have dropped our opposition.  The bill now makes clear that school personnel who take reasonable actions in good faith to end a fight or altercation between students will not incur any civil or criminal liability as the result of those actions; adds a new section to the state law regarding cyber-bullying of a school employee by a student; adds a section regarding probation officer visits at school; and prohibits intimidation of a school employee regarding reporting of an assault.  It was approved by the House Judiciary B committee this week and is now scheduled to be heard by the full House on Monday. 

 SB 724, An Act to Improve Public Education (Stein, Tillman).  SB 724 provides additional standards for teacher training; directs the State Board of Education to reconsider the high school graduation requirements for students who do not plan to continue education beyond high school; directs the creation of transition teams and transition plans for students at risk to assist them in making a successful transition between the elementary school and middle school years and between the middle school and high school years; and it removes a sunset of 2013 on a state law regarding a school's basis of knowledge of a child with a disability.  Because changes to the bill were made in the House, the bill must now go back to the Senate for a concurrence vote, which is scheduled for Monday.

 SB 756, Amend Bail Law/Pretrial Release Programs (Clary, East, Jones). The bill seeks to restrict the use of pretrial release programs, and in turn, increase the number of defendants who are released on bond.  It was approved by the Judiciary C committee this week despite a great deal of opposition.  It will next be voted upon by the full House.