Dear Friends –
The legislative session has flown by with few fireworks since our first week when we saved the state’s Medicaid program. We’ve passed some bills and a few have become law, but most are still caught up in negotiations or waiting games between the House and Senate. The big question, of course, is if or when we will see a budget. It seems somewhat certain that we will see a budget, but the date keeps getting pushed back, and now we expect it after the July 4 holiday. We expect the budget to contain a mix of good and bad, as it always does – the only question is how much of each.
Meanwhile, I’ve been working on my priority issues of housing and healthcare.
Housing
The Senate just concurred on the Parking Lot Reform bill, which prohibits local governments from imposing mandatory parking minimums except in coastal counties. This is a huge step toward enabling more housing as it will facilitate more infill residential and commercial development, especially on small lots that could not handle current parking requirements.
Some other housing provisions I’ve advocated, including allowing residential development in retail and commercial zoning districts and allowing the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs or granny flats) in residential areas, are included in the House version of the annual Regulatory Reform Act. That bill needs to be reconciled with the Senate’s version, which does not contain those provisions, so it remains to be seen if they will become law.
I have also started the process of bringing together housing advocates from across the political spectrum to develop a common housing agenda for next year’s long session. I am hopeful that we can get some good things done next year.
Healthcare
Several provisions I crafted are in S978 that passed two senate committees this month. These provisions include whistleblower protections, limitations on non-disclosure agreements, and a ban on noncompete clauses for healthcare providers who work for hospitals.
These provisions passed the Senate last year but fell victim to negotiations with the House, and that may happen again this year as well. Like the Energizer Bunny, however, I will keep going and going and going until it gets done.
Next year, I will reboot my healthcare consolidation bill that addresses many of the issues our community experienced during the sale of Mission Health as well as a revised and improved bill limiting the corporate practice of medicine in North Carolina.
Other News and Office Visits
Earlier this year, the NC League of Conservation Voters awarded me their Senator of the Year award. NCLCV is a strong partner to legislators who care deeply about environmental protection, and I am grateful for their recognition.
As always, I meet with a lot of people when I’m in Raleigh. Here are some of those groups, and I again say thank you to those who make the trek from WNC to advocate with legislators. Oh, and we had a visit from a few Carolina Hurricanes who brought the Stanley Cup for us to see!
I’ll be in touch again after July 4 to talk budget. Until then, I hope you all have a safe, relaxing, and fun Independence Day holiday!
Julie
