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Legislature Concludes Majority of Business for the Long Session
With the 2022 State and Congressional maps finalized, the legislature returned this week to wrap up their work for the legislative long session. Items considered by the legislature included an appointments bill, veto override, budget technical corrections bill, and adjournment resolution.
On Wednesday, the Senate unanimously confirmed the appointment of Karen M. Kemerait to the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Kemerait was nominated by Governor Cooper in May of 2021 and the House unanimously approved the confirmation in September. The Senate also attempted to override the Governor’s veto of S173, Free the Smiles Act. The bill would have allowed parents to decide whether or not their children wear a mask in schools. The override attempt failed 27-22. (An override requires a three-fifths majority vote.) Governor Cooper has encouraged local school boards to lift mask mandates.
Both chambers passed a 52-page technical corrections bill that makes changes to the 2021 Appropriations Act. Some of the provisions include:
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Clarifications of rate increases to home and community-based providers;
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Corrections to State Capital Infrastructure Fund grants;
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Modifications of reporting dates for multiple programs; and
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Changes to the business recovery grant program.
The bill passed the House 96-16 and the Senate 44-4. It will now head to Governor Cooper for approval.
The House and Senate also passed a resolution (SJR748) adjourning the legislature to a date certain. The resolution adjourns the legislature today (March 11) at noon and reconvenes the legislature in April (April 4-6) and May (May 4-6). During those three-day sessions only a limited number of issues could be considered such as appointments bills, veto overrides, and conference reports. However, leadership has indicated there are no plans for votes to be held during those sessions at this time. The General Assembly will return on May 18 (the day after the primary) to begin the legislative short session.
2022 Elections
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal to the State Supreme Court ruling on the NC Congressional map. This means elections under the Congressional map drawn by the special masters will continue. Last Friday was the candidate filing deadline for all elections in the State. The full candidate filing list can be found here.
The North Carolina General Assembly will look very different in 2023 with a number of retirements and multiple incumbents paired together in the same district, also referred to as “double bunking.” In the Senate, current Senators Bob Steinburg (R – Chowan) and Norman Sanderson (R – Pamlico) are double bunked in Senate District 1 and Senator Ralph Hise (R – Mitchell) and Senator Deanna Ballard (R – Watauga) are double bunked in Senate District 47. In the House, Representatives Jamie Boles (R – Moore) and Ben Moss (R – Richmond) are double bunked in House District 52 and Representatives Jake Johnson (R – Polk) and David Rogers ( R-Rutherford) are double bunked in House District 113. A total of 34 members of the General Assembly are guaranteed to be back in office in 2023. There are 10 Senate members running unopposed (9 Republicans and 1 Democrat) and 24 House members running unopposed (20 Republicans and 4 Democrats).
