Map of District 49

Press Release of November 6, 2008 -- Recognizing Military Service Next week, our nation will celebrate Veterans Day and I know that, like me, you are grateful for the service of these men and women. At the state level, we have tried to show our appreciation during the past session by granting military members more educational opportunities, protecting their health, and watching over the family members they leave behind when they are deployed. We have had a great deal of success in these areas and in the session ahead we will continue looking for ways to recognize their contributions to our state and nation. Education The state appropriated $240,000 to hire four additional school counselors for school systems near Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point Marine Corps air station, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. The counselors will help families in those counties deal with issues related to deployment and relocation. They will also be available to work with military families in adjoining counties. North Carolina has joined the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The compact was created to make changing schools easier for children of military families by creating consistent enrollment, record transfer, student placement, and extracurricular activity guidelines. The new law (SB 1541) allows for the enforcement of administrative rules and uniform collection and sharing of information. It also promotes flexibility and cooperation between the schools, parents, and students as these families are transferred to new posts. This year’s state budget includes an additional $326,500 for scholarships and related educational materials for children of veterans killed or disabled during wartime. The total amount for the program is now nearly $9.6 million, including $6.9 million from escheats fund.  Family  A new law protects the parental custody and visitation rights of deployed and active members of the military. The bill (HB 1634) permits expedited custody hearings for service members called into duty and hearings via telephone for service members deployed on short notice.  It also prevents a parent from citing deployment as a reason to modify or change custody arrangements.  Under the new law, any custody order issued because of deployment expires within 10 days of the soldier’s return. The state allocated $420,000 to support three assistance centers that help families of deployed National Guardsmen. The centers provide the families benefit and planning services. Health Through our budget, we paid to set up a hotline that veterans returning home from war can use if they believe they need mental health care. Some veterans say they are embarrassed to seek mental health care through the military for the trauma often suffered during duty in war. The General Assembly appropriated $1 million in the state budget for traumatic brain injury services and required that veterans and their families be among the target populations for the money. Employment North Carolina is experiencing the largest deployment of soldiers since World War II. Since September 11, 2001, more than 60,000 service members have been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, or on related missions. Legislators passed a bill (HB 671) that grants leaves of absence for elected or appointed state officials who are called to active military duty and permits temporary officials to be appointed during their absences.  Another new law (HB 1412) clarifies that veterans and their surviving spouses or dependents receive preference with state departments, agencies, and institutions. We also added a veteran to the State Personnel Commission (HB 1413). The commission sets policies and establishes practices for hiring in the state. Teachers and state employees called into active duty will now receive credit for time spent in the military for retirement purposes (HB 1414) and they will not be denied short-term benefits because of absences for military service (HB 1415). Consumer Protection Service members who put their lives on the line for our nation deserve protection from people who would prey on their families while they are away or preparing to deploy. A new law (HB 773) helps protect members of the military from predatory life insurance policies that may not cover death in combat and predatory annuity sales. The law also prohibits false, misleading, deceptive, or unfair acts. In addition, through the budget, the state has hired a consumer protection specialist within the Department of Justice to keep service members and their families safe from scams to cheat them out of their hard-earned money. Miscellaneous During the past two years, the state has appropriated $2 million for morale, recreation, and welfare programs on military installations. The money is being shared among all branches of the military in the state, including the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard. The legislature also allocated $1.25 million to help the North Carolina Military Business Center foster business development originating from the state’s military bases and $3 million to the Defense and Security Technology Accelerator to help build businesses tied to homeland security and national defense. The General Assembly set aside $500,000 to help a nonprofit organization complete architectural plans for the Museum of the Marine, a tribute to the contributions the U.S. Marines have made to our world and nation. The museum will be in the city of Jacksonville, near Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base. The state appropriated $15 million to help build the new North Carolina State Veterans Park, which includes a formal garden, a visitors center and a Freedom Trail. Back to List of Links

Press Release of October 30, 2008 -- Protecting Our Children The most important thing any of us can do is try to make life better for our children and the others who come behind us. That’s part of the reason our state and our communities invest so much in education, health care, and creating economic opportunity.  Much of that effort helps build a better future for our young people. Those of us in the General Assembly also put a great deal of effort into protecting our children from abuse and neglect while they are young. During my past term, legislators approved a number of new laws intended to keep our children safe. I want to let you know about these changes since I know that you want the best for your children, just as I do. This is my last weekly report before next week’s election. Thank all of you for your continued attention to our state and the work that’s done in Raleigh. I hope to be back in touch with you soon.  In the meantime, please contact me if I can be of any service. Child Abuse The Jessica Lunsford Act (HB 933) strengthened laws for crimes against children, made it unlawful for registered sex offenders to be on or near certain premises, and made changes to the sex offender registry. Rape or sexual offense of a child younger than 13 is now punishable by a minimum of 25 years in prison and up to a life sentence. After release from prison, the parolee will be subject to lifetime monitoring. The law also increases the penalties for sexual exploitation or prostitution of a child. It is now a felony for a registered sex offender to be on premises primarily intended for the use, care, or supervision of minors. Revised reporting requirements now mandate that hospital physicians, administrators, or others involved in the health care of a child tell law enforcement officials about any cases involving recurrent illness or serious injury that appear to have been caused by “non-accidental” trauma. The law (HB 2338) applies only to people 18 and younger. The law already requires physicians to report such cases to the director of the county department of social services. Health Care The legislature allowed up to 6 percent enrollment growth in the state’s insurance plan for children as we try to expand health care coverage to more young people. The budget provision (HB 2436) also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to report: the number of children enrolled in the program during the first week of January 2009; the projected enrollment and program costs, by month, for the remainder of the 2008-09 fiscal year; and the status of current expenditures and availability of state and federal funds for the remainder of the fiscal year. A separate provision in the budget strengthens the coverage by adding benefits for over-the-counter medicines and setting the maximum annual cost-sharing limit at 5 percent of family income. Studies The General Assembly has created the Poverty Reduction and Economic Recovery Legislative Study Commission to study a coordinated and integrated approach to reducing poverty. The commission will have 20 members and its final report will be due by the start of the 2010 session. The Legislative Research Commission has been directed to study the possibility of prohibiting smoking in foster care homes and whether such a ban would adversely affect the number of available foster care homes. Miscellaneous A new law creates an exception to the public records law so that identifying information of minors participating in local park and recreation programs is not required to be publicly available. The law (SB 212) allows the county, municipality, and zip code of a participant to remain public, but all identifying information is redacted. The information is not considered confidential and can be disclosed by local governments if they choose, but they are not required to do so. North Carolina has joined the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The compact was created to make changing schools easier for children of military families by creating consistent enrollment, record transfer, student placement, and extracurricular activity guidelines. The new law (SB 1541) allows for the enforcement of administrative rules and uniform collection and sharing of information. It also promotes flexibility and cooperation between the schools, parents and students as these families are transferred to new posts. The law allowing children to ride in the back of pickup trucks was amended last year to raise the minimum age from 12 to 16. The law (HB 2340) also removed the exemption from the law for 32 smaller counties in the state. Vehicles being operated as part of an agricultural enterprise remain exempt from the law. Back to List of Links

Press Release of October 23, 2008 -- Election Oversight and Campaign Finance Voting has started and campaigns are coming to a close. I thought it would be an opportune time to remind you about some of the ways we have worked in the General Assembly during my past term to improve the way we oversee elections and campaign finance. We also took some steps to improve disclosure about political candidates, following up on our efforts from last session to require economic disclosure. Our efforts to make both registration and voting easier, coupled with the importance of this coming election, appear to be contributing to high early turnout. Election Oversight The General Assembly has established a new Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee to give greater attention to both election and campaign finance matters. The committee will have 18 members: 9 from each chamber appointed by the Senate President Pro Tempore and the Speaker of the House. The members will be appointed proportionally according to the partisan composition of their respective chambers and serve for two-year terms beginning on January 15 of odd-numbered years. The committee will examine budgets, programs, and polices of the State Board of Elections and county boards of elections; election statutes and court decisions; election initiatives in other states, and other matters as necessary. Voting and Campaign Reform The law creating the oversight committee (SB 1263) was a large bill that also included several other provisions to improve elections in North Carolina. Among the new provisions are: Reauthorization of the instant runoff voting pilot. This provision allows the State Board of Elections to use instant runoff voting in up to 10 jurisdictions during the 2009, 2010, and 2011 elections. Instant runoffs allow voters to pick winners without having to hold costly separate runoff elections. The communities selected will be required to develop and participate in a plan to educate voters and candidates about instant runoff voting. A prohibition on commingling campaign funds with other accounts. The treasurer of a candidate or political committee must now keep all campaign money in accounts separate from private accounts or accounts into which other money is deposited. The law also includes many other minor and technical changes.  It is now a felony to instruct or coerce non-citizens to vote. The law (HB 1743) also establishes misdemeanor penalties for breaching ballot secrecy or trying to convince a person to select a party affiliation. The bill also allows combined ballots and provides civil penalties for officials who are late reporting campaign contributions and expenditures. Penalties can be as high as three times the amount of funds concealed if the State Board of Elections finds that the officials deliberately concealed contributions or expenditures. Same-Day Registration We approved a new law (HB 91) that allows residents to register and vote right away at one-stop voting sites during the last 2½ weeks before an election. Under the old law voters could vote early at one-stop voting sites, but registration ended 25 days before an election. The bill is intended to open up the voting process by eliminating some time barriers and by making it easy for people who want to vote to do so quickly and conveniently. Public Financing North Carolina has had publicly financed judicial elections for the past several years, but this year for the first time it is using public financing in races for state auditor, superintendent of public instruction, and insurance commissioner. The intention of the new law (HB 1517) is to open up elections to anyone with an interest in running and reduce the influence of increasingly large amounts of money being raised for campaigns. Candidates must raise a total of $30,000 from at least 750 people to qualify for the public financing program. They must then agree to strict fundraising and spending limits. Candidate Disclosure Candidates for public office must now report when they file for office whether they are convicted felons. The conviction won’t have to be reported if it was reversed on appeal, pardoned, or expunged. Candidates who have past convictions will be required to report the name of the offense, the date of conviction, the date their citizenship rights were restored, and the county and state of conviction. A prior felony conviction does not prevent a person from holding elective office if the candidate's citizenship rights have been restored. Candidates who do not complete the statement will be barred from appearing on the ballot. Public officials and state workers found guilty of felony misconduct related to their office must now forfeit their pensions. The bill (SB 659) applies to officials convicted of a federal or state offense involving election fraud or public corruption committed in their official capacity. It covers legislators, judges, state and local employees, and teachers. The law is not retroactive and does not apply to officials already convicted of wrongdoing. Legislators who establish legal defense funds must now report donations to those accounts. Under the law (HB 1737), legislators with these accounts now have to report donations and expenses each quarter. In addition, they also have to abide by restrictions similar to those for campaign accounts. Donations from labor unions, insurance companies, corporations, business entities, or professional associations cannot exceed $4,000 each year. Cash donations must be less than $50 and the report must include detailed information about contributors. Back to List of Links

Press Release of October 16, 2008 -- New Laws Go into Effect This Month Several new laws go into place this month, laws that are intended to help you protect your homes, protect our environment, and improve how our Division of Motor Vehicles operates, among many others. I have shared information about many of our new laws with you previously. If you would like a full list of these laws and when they go into place, visit www.ncleg.net and click on 2007-08 Legislative Effective Dates in the News and Information section at the top of the page. Protecting Homeowners Mortgage holders now have more time to work with their banks before losing their homes. The bill (HB 2623) requires lenders to give homeowners 45 days notice before starting foreclosure proceedings and gives the state bank commissioner authority to delay foreclosures for up to 30 days. Another new law (HB 2188) requires that home loan servicers provide information about servicer fees to prospective mortgage recipients within 30 days of the activation of those fees. The fee would be waived if the servicer failed to notify the receiver of the mortgage. Transportation Drivers’ licenses and state-issued identification cards now have a different look that is intended to make it easier for store clerks to recognize people who aren’t old enough to buy tobacco or alcohol. A new law (HB 2487) requires that people 21 and under receive cards with vertical rather than horizontal formats. The change was recommended by the state’s Child Fatality Task Force. Clerks of court can now help determine whether a person found incompetent under state guardianship laws will be allowed to keep his/her driving privileges. The clerks often make or help make competency determinations and the law (HB 2391) requires the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to consider their recommendations. The new law applies to all people judged incompetent on or after October 1. One bill made several changes to the way vehicle registrations are handled in the state. The new law (SB 1787): Repeals, before it becomes effective, the requirement that an individual surrender to             the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) a registration plate that is not renewed; Requires that DMV approve equipment and software used by safety inspection stations to transfer information to the DMV; Requires that vehicles acquired from out of state by a resident of North Carolina or owned by new residents of the state be inspected prior to registration with the DMV; Requires that a used vehicle acquired by private sale in North Carolina be inspected             before the vehicle is registered with DMV unless the vehicle received a passing             inspection within the previous 12 months; Requires an unregistered vehicle to be inspected before it is registered with DMV, or             before a transferred registration expires, unless it received a passing inspection             within the previous 12 months; Authorizes DMV to issue a three-day permit authorizing a person to drive an insured             vehicle with an expired inspection or registration to an inspection station, repair             shop, DMV, or contract agent registration office. Environment The state has a new law to help improve the way it deals with droughts. The bill (HB 2499) gives the governor more authority during a drought to work with local governments to help them address water shortages and makes other changes to improve how we manage droughts. The bill also requires public water providers to develop drought and water shortage plans, while heavy water users would be subject to stricter reporting requirements. Municipalities, businesses, farmers, and private residents collaborated on developing the legislation. Existing state buildings must reduce energy consumption 20 percent by 2010 and 30 percent by 2015, based on 2003-04 levels under a new law now in place. The law (SB 668) also requires state agencies and institutions to file annual energy management plans, strategies, and reports on consumption. Back to List of Links

Press Release of September 25, 2008 -- Substance Abuse Treatment Substance abuse has touched everyone’s life in one way or another and in the legislature we have tried to find ways to improve treatment for people who can’t afford private recovery services. Over the past two sessions, we have made changes in these programs that allow more efficient use of state money and set up a study group that continues to examine issues surrounding substance abuse services in North Carolina. We have also expanded substance abuse treatment programs for our inmates in our attempt to reduce the numbers of people who return to prison. A recent study in Iowa found that up to 90 percent of the inmates there had a history of drug and/or alcohol abuse and that treatment programs in prison lowered the chances of recidivism. Another study found that prisoners in California who participated in substance abuse treatment had a recidivism rate of 27 percent, compared to a rate of 76 percent for other prisoners.  I have some additional information about some of our substance abuse treatment initiatives below. Regional programs The General Assembly has restructured the way the state funds and provides substance abuse programs. Previously, the state had divided the money among the 24 local groups that provide substance abuse and mental health services. Sometimes, the groups couldn’t use the money because it wasn’t enough for the services they needed and couldn’t be used for anything other than substance abuse treatment. A change in the law last year required that the state use at least $8 million over the next two fiscal years for regional substance abuse services. The local groups can now pool their money to buy services that they couldn’t afford on their own. The General Assembly has given the program $12 million over the past two years. Task Force The General Assembly also created a task force within the North Carolina Institute of Medicine to study substance abuse services in North Carolina. Among other items, the task force is required to: Identify models of care or promising practices for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse and develop recommendations to incorporate these models into the substance abuse service system of care.  Examine different financing options to pay for substance abuse services at the local, regional and state levels.  Examine the adequacy of the current and future substance abuse workforce.  Develop strategies to identify people in need of substance abuse services, including people who have both mental health and substance abuse problems.  Examine barriers that people with substance abuse problems have in accessing publicly funded substance abuse services and explore possible strategies for improving access.  Examine the economic impact of substance abuse in North Carolina. The task force issued a preliminary report and is required to issue a final report by the end of this year. Prison programs The General Assembly has spent about $3.4 million over the past two years to start a 50-bed substance abuse treatment program for female parolees and probationers. The program at the Black Mountain Correctional Center for Women offers 28-day and 90-day programs, allowing 300-360 women a year to receive treatment. Demand for the service is estimated at 4,725 women a year. The legislature has appropriated $480,000 to add 10 bed spaces for male inmates receiving intensive treatment for alcohol abuse and addiction. Back to List of Links

Press Release of September 18, 2008 -- Energy Reforms  The rapid increase in gas prices last week when Hurricane Ike threatened the Gulf Coast underscored the need to find new, alternative fuels. In North Carolina, we have made this effort a priority over the past two years, investing millions of dollars in biofuels research and updating our laws to require more use of biodiesel fuels. The General Assembly has also adopted other innovative energy-saving initiatives and set plans in place to reduce energy consumption. In all, we have developed a very balanced approach to helping the state and our residents move away from dependence on fossil fuels. This week, I will update you on some of the highlights of our energy reforms during the past biennium. Thank you for your support in these efforts and I hope you will contact me if you have any questions or concerns. In addition, if you believe gas stations in your area have unfairly raised the price of gasoline during the past several days, please contact the Attorney General’s office to file a price gouging complaint. You can file the complaint by calling 1-877-566-7226 or visiting the Attorney General’s Web site, www.ncdoj.gov. Fuel Last year, the state created the Biofuels Center of North Carolina and in our past two budgets we have given the center a total of $10 million. The center was established to help universities, companies, and agencies encourage the growth of biomass that can be converted to biofuels and to encourage and fund research. The center will also try to attract federal money and coordinate the state’s biofuels initiatives. Biodiesel fuel produced by an individual for their personal use in a private vehicle is no longer subject to the motor fuel excise tax under a bill (SB 1272) that we approved. Such fuel is sometimes made from discarded cooking oil or similar products and supporters of the measure argued the materials shouldn’t be taxed twice. School buses that use diesel fuel must be able to operate with B20, fuel that contains at least 20 percent of biodiesel. The bill (SB 1452) also requires that at least 2 percent of the fuel purchased annually by local school districts for school buses must be a minimum blend of B20. Another bill (SB 1277) requires that new state-owned vehicles that run on diesel fuel must carry a warranty that assures they are capable of running on B20. As part of the state budget, we improved the tax credit we have given since 2004 to companies that build renewable fuel production plants. The changes allow more flexibility in the credits and are expected to attract more such plants to the state. Renewable Energy Our state has established a requirement that North Carolina power utilities get at least 12.5 percent of their power from renewable sources and energy efficiency by 2021. The bill (SB 3) is expected to help cut pollution and our dependence on foreign oil while also creating more of a market for renewable energy. North Carolina is the first state in the Southeast to adopt such a standard and it came after months of negotiations between lawmakers, utility company representatives, and environmentalists. During this critical time, the General Assembly has set aside money for the operation of the State Energy Office, the state’s lead agency for energy programs and services, by appropriating nearly $2.7 million a year for operating costs. Nearly $2 million of the money will be used for a utility savings initiative and to support the operation of energy centers at North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Appalachian State University. The state also appropriated $10 million for a reserve fund to support energy efficiency in state buildings. Conservation The state continues to try to be a model for responsible energy use and we have backed up our commitment with a new law. The law (SB 668) requires existing state buildings to reduce energy consumption 20 percent by 2010 and 30 percent by 2015, based on 2003-04 levels. New buildings are designed and constructed to use 30 percent less energy. It also requires state agencies and institutions to file annual energy management plans, strategies, and reports on consumption. Bioenergy We showed our support for alternative energy sources by expanding a bioenergy initiative at North Carolina State University. The $3.75 million will help researchers find new technologies for efficient and clean use of traditional energy sources; alternative, environmentally safe, and renewable energy sources; and research of energy technologies and their impact on North Carolina's rural economy. A new law prevents municipalities or neighborhood associations from banning the use of solar panels. The panels use the heat of the sun to produce energy. They are sometimes banned because they are considered unsightly, but the law (SB 670) prohibits outright bans while still allowing reasonable rules about where the panels can be located. Miscellaneous North Carolina has created a sales tax holiday on energy efficient appliances. The state estimates the holiday will save consumers $1.4 million in taxes. The three-day holiday will begin on the first Friday of November and run through the following Sunday. Developers in five cities who take significant energy conservation measures in their building projects will now be eligible for incentives such as higher density allowances. The cities are Asheville, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Charlotte and Wilmington. Counties and cities can now reduce building permit fees or give partial rebates to encourage construction of buildings designed to conserve energy. Back to List of Links

Press Release of September 11, 2008 -- Health Care One of my jobs as a state representative is to make sure everyone has access to affordable health care and that we do what we can to help eliminate disparities where they exist. Over the past two years, I have helped develop budgets and policies that address some of these issues. Along with my colleagues in the General Assembly, I have worked to put more money into preventing childhood obesity and chronic illnesses, such as diabetes. We also continue to help children gain access to dental care and provide grants to help pay for services for our seniors. This past session, we established a study with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine that will look at many of the issues related to access to health care and we hope it will guide us as we prepare for the coming session in January. We continue to push to create healthy environments for our children and people in the workplace. New laws approved last year ban smoking in government owned spaces and prohibit tobacco in our schools. During this past term, the state also made major changes in how we pay for Medicaid and in the services provided to mental health patients and those who are considered high risk patients. I will have more information later about our efforts to reform and restore confidence to the state’s ailing mental health system, but this week I wanted to provide some highlights relating to health care. Medicaid Medicaid costs – an estimated $500 million this fiscal year - are a huge burden for counties to bear. Last year, the state agreed to assume the counties’ share of Medicaid costs in a three-year phaseout. This will help ensure the long-term viability of this program and protect our small and rural counties with a large number of Medicaid recipients.  Every county will end up with at least $500,000 more than they would have had otherwise. This is going to free up money in the counties for school construction and other needs and that means, we hope, lower taxes and a better standard of living for you. This change allows people who receive this service to expect the same standard of care they have always received. And we believe that shifting the entire cost to the state means that the long-term financial stability of the program will be protected. Mental Health Parity North Carolina now has a law that guarantees insurance parity to people who receive mental health services. The new law (HB 973) requires insurance companies to cover bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and three other mental illnesses the same way that they treat and cover physical illnesses. All other mental health conditions will be covered for up to 30 inpatient/outpatient days and 30 office visits. High-Risk Insurance Pool The General Assembly has created a high risk insurance pool to help those who suffer from serious or terminal illnesses. These people are often considered uninsurable or are forced to pay expensive premiums because of their illness. This new law (HB 265) will make sure they get the affordable insurance they deserve and ultimately receive the preventative care they need to stay healthy. Children’s Insurance We have expanded the North Carolina Health Choice program to provide healthcare to some of the thousands of uninsured children of this state. Families who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford rising health insurance premiums can get free or reduced price comprehensive health care for their children through NC Health Choice. It offers the same coverage provided by the state for the families of state employees and teachers, plus vision, hearing, and dental benefits. The out-of-pocket costs for the program cannot exceed 5 percent of the family’s income. This year’s expansion cost $9.4 million and will allow the program to reach a total of nearly 130,000 children. We also continue to expand the NC Kids’ Care to provide health coverage to children from low-income and middle-class families. This expansion of health insurance means that thousands more children will become eligible for affordable health coverage. NC Kids’ Care allows families to pay deductibles, co-payments, and monthly premiums on a sliding scale based on income.  Insurance and Prescriptions We in the General Assembly believe that health insurance should be included with employment. We have given a tax credit to small businesses that provide health insurance to their employees and this year we expanded the credit. This credit has lowered the employers’ cost of providing health insurance while at the same time increasing the number of people who have insurance.  NC Health Net, a program that coordinates free care for low income uninsured patients, received about $6.6 million. Health Centers Community health centers and groups are on the frontline of the battle to keep our people strong.  The past two budgets have included $9 million for rural health centers, free clinics, and school-based clinics. The state budgeted $6.8 million for aid to all health departments. The General Assembly has also set aside almost $2.5 million for health centers and community programs to reduce rates of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, injury and infant mortality. $2 million in last year’s budget was marked for additional HIV prevention programs. This money will go to local health departments, HBCUs, and community organizations to provide HIV counseling, testing, and early medical interventions. In addition, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the Health Disparities Initiative each received $500,000. Women’s Health Women’s Health Services will receive $200,000 to serve women who are uninsured and are not eligible for Medicaid.  We have also set aside $2 million for screening and diagnostic services for breast and cervical cancer through the North Carolina Breast and Cervical Caner Control Program. Parents and guardians of children in grades 5-12 will receive information about cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia, human papillomavirus, and the vaccines. The General Assembly ratified a bill (SB 260) that requires public schools to give parents this information at the beginning of the school year. Back to List of Links

Press Release of September 4, 2008 -- School Dropout Prevention Our state cannot compete in this new economy unless we prepare more of our young people to enter the workforce ready for rapid changes in culture and technology. The investments we have made in all levels of education in our state – from preschool programs to the university system – are now largely equipped and capable of producing engineers, scientists, teachers, nurses, and other workers in career fields that will become increasingly critical to our state and nation. Unfortunately, about 1 in 3 students in North Carolina leave our public school system before they earn a high school diploma. It’s a decision that reduces their standard of living for a lifetime and ultimately weakens all of our communities. We have tried several programs in North Carolina to address dropout prevention. Our newest initiative is a community grant program created in the General Assembly. Other programs begin in preschool when we seek out at-risk children and try to put them on the right course early. These programs are truly long-term efforts and I will continue to support them while I represent you. I have included some information about some of them in this week’s newsletter. If you would like additional information about what our public schools are doing to improve graduation rates, please visit the Department of Public Instruction Website.. Preschool Programs We realize that much of our children’s success in school depends on what they learn before they get to school. For that reason, we continue to invest in preschool programs such as Smart Start and More at Four. This year, the state budget includes $30 million to expand the More at Four program, a high-quality pre-kindergarten program that serves thousands of at-risk children in our state. The combined budgets for Smart Start and More at Four are now nearly $280 million a year. This year’s budget provides $200,000 to Project Enlightenment, an early childhood education and intervention program of the Wake County Public School System, to operate the Literacy Connection Program. The program is developing a statewide network of early literacy preschool leaders and providing them with training and support for coaching preschool teachers on literacy instruction strategies. The program will also provide training and technical support to the More at Four program. The Literacy Connection program also received $200,000 from the state during the last fiscal year. Dropout Prevention Last year, the General Assembly created a new dropout prevention grant program that awarded a total of $7 million to more than 60 community-based programs. This year, we expanded the program by putting another $15 million into it. The programs work with dropouts and those at risk of dropping out. The new Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation will evaluate the programs that receive grants and decide whether expanding or replicating them will improve graduation rates in the state. The commission will also review research on student success, study major middle and high school reform efforts and how they may influence the dropout rate, review the courses required for graduation, determine whether changes should be made, and decide which strategies best help students remain in school when they are at risk of being retained.  School systems in my district are in various stages of planning and application to secure some of these grants.  For example, Franklin County has gained money for planning for an early college learn-and-earn program, which will also address dropout prevention.  I look forward to working with them to continue to decrease the rate of dropout occurrences in Franklin, Halifax, and Nash Counties. Communities in Schools Communities in Schools is a private, non-profit organization that connects at-risk youth and their families with resources to assist in school success and dropout prevention. This past fiscal year, we increased its base budget from $1.1 million to $1.6 million. The new money may be used to support the creation of Performance Learning Centers and will be matched in part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Several Communities in Schools programs were also recipients of dropout prevention grants last year. Back to List of Links

Press Release of August 28, 2008 -- UNC System This week, I want to share some information with you about how the General Assembly continues to work for the future of this state. I believe we can all agree that education is one of the surest long-term investments we can make for the people of North Carolina. There is clear and convincing evidence to show that, on the whole, better educated people earn more and give more back to their society. We need to make certain that everyone in this state who has the ability and interest in attending college can afford to do so and that once they’re there they receive the best education we can give them. Over the years, we have made substantial investments in the UNC system, and the university’s appropriation this fiscal year is nearly $2.7 billion. We also gave the system $15 million to use toward campus safety improvements.  I want to share a few of the ways over the past biennium we have tried to make college more accessible and more affordable while also improving the quality of our universities. Accessibility Our university system continues to grow and as it does, schools need more money to pay the basic costs of this growth. This year, the General Assembly has agreed to set aside nearly $35 million to help the universities cover the costs of growth. In addition to the EARN Scholars program, we increased access to our world-class universities by increasing financial aid in the UNC system by nearly $28 million and setting aside another $8.6 million for state scholarships and grants. We appropriated $1.75 million in tuition grants for half-time students. We enhanced our “529” college savings fund by allowing more people to contribute more money each year to the tax-free accounts. We set aside $6 million to expand the Learn & Earn program and increased funding for the online component of the program by $12.5 million. Learn & Earn allows high school students to earn college credits while they are still in high school. High school students can even earn an associate’s degree online, from their high school, or at a local community college. The program is free and allows students to prepare for college or work with no more than an extra year of high school at no additional cost. Programs and Facilities As our state and our university system continue to grow, we need more buildings and new programs to provide the level of service expected of one of the nation’s premier institutions. Below are some of the highlights of our expansion of the university system. Medical Schools Expansion $1.5 million for planning the expansion of the medical schools at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and East Carolina University. The proposed additional medical students will spend their third and fourth years in clinical rotations in Charlotte, Asheville, and selected cities in Eastern North Carolina. Dental School Expansion The General Assembly agreed to $94 million in spending to plan and operate a new dental school at ECU, which will have up to ten clinics serving patients in underserved areas of the state. ECU plans to heavily recruit students from rural areas and will encourage students to practice in those areas.  The dental school is set to open by 2010 at the earliest. North Carolina Research Campus $22.5 million was set aside to pay lease costs, hire faculty and staff, and purchase equipment and supplies for UNC programs located at the North Carolina Research Campus at Kannapolis. The research center is a collaboration between private investors, businesses, and the university system. Nanoscience and Nanoengineering School We appropriated $5 million for the Joint Graduate School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering Building at the Millennium Campus in Greensboro. The 95,000-square-foot facility will be jointly operated by North Carolina A&T State University and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. We also gave the school $3 million more for operations. University of North Carolina - Charlotte North Carolina is a leader among states in energy efficiency efforts. Over the past two sessions, the General Assembly committed $76.2 million to plan and build the Energy Production Infrastructure Center at UNC-Charlotte. Students at the center will learn how to make better and more efficient power plants.  Back to List of Links

Press Release of August 21, 2008 -- Community College System Our state’s community colleges are a vital link between education, business and government. They have been given a complex mission to provide high-school equivalency courses, worker training, technical education and college-level instruction. The leaders of our 58 institutions have handled their wide-ranging task with great skill and helped North Carolina create one of the foremost community college systems in the nation. While I’ve been in Raleigh, I’ve been a strong supporter of the community college system and in my past terms in office, my colleagues and I have worked to provide these schools with more of the resources they need. Their total state budget is now nearly $1 billion and this week I want to highlight some of the ways we’ve enhanced their programs. Enrollment Growth Enrollment at our community colleges has grown to about 800,000 this year and with that growth comes increased costs. Over the past two years, the General Assembly has given the community colleges $32.6 million to pay for the costs of increased enrollment. An additional $2 million was set aside in last year’s budget for the Enrollment Growth Reserve to help those community colleges that had high growth in the Fall 2008 semester. The reserve is intended for community colleges that have an enrollment increase of more than 5 percent over the previous fall semester. We put $2.5 million into reserve for the coming fall semester. Financial Aid My colleagues and I have helped create the Education Access Rewards North Carolina, or EARN, Scholars program to give more students access to higher education. The program provides $4,000 grants each year to community college and University of North Carolina system students with the greatest financial need. All students with family incomes of less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for the program. We are extremely proud of this program because if makes the dream of attending school, from pre-kindergarten all the way through college, a reality for all of our citizens. More students can now focus on their studies without worrying about finding money to pay for college and will be able to graduate with a bachelor’s degree without any debt. Distance Learning Distance learning helps community colleges reach more nontraditional students and those who may live far away from a college campus. During the past two years, the General Assembly appropriated a recurring sum of $5.3 million to increase community college bandwidth. This will greatly improve connectivity and expand the opportunity for distance learning.  My colleagues and I set aside $595,000 for Virtual Learning Centers. These centers help develop and improve online courses.  They can revolutionize the way our students learn.  North Carolina State University’s Virtual Computing now has 100 seats dedicated for community college students. Last year, we appropriated $631,000 to provide state-of-the-art computing services for these students. Equipment and Facilities The General Assembly appropriated $15 million for the Facilities and Equipment Grant Fund. These funds will be awarded to community college projects that support the college’s strategic plan and show potential to promote economic growth. The General Assembly set aside $10 million to provide instructional equipment at all 58 community colleges. The community college system received $8 million to plan capital projects and develop facility master plans.  About $660,000 was appropriated to support multi-campus centers. Multi-campus centers are satellite campuses for four-year universities that provide a low-cost way for students to earn degrees in their communities. There are now 26 multi-campus centers in the state. Programs The General Assembly appropriated $9.6 million to support high-cost allied health programs at our community colleges, such as practical nursing and many of the laboratory and technology courses of study offered at our schools. This money can be used for equipment, supplies, or faculty salaries and will recur each year. In the most recent state budget, the General Assembly gave the system $1 million to re-establish technical education programs and place renewed emphasis on them. The money can be used for faculty, equipment, or supplies for construction, engineering, industrial, and transport systems technology programs. The General Assembly has set aside nearly $1.5 million to expand the Male Minority Mentoring program. The program strives to increase the graduation and retention rates of minority males at our community colleges through mentoring, retreats, community service, and counseling and other personal growth opportunities. The program is now operating at 32 community colleges. Miscellaneous A new law (SB 1669) gives community college boards of trustees the authority to prohibit the use of tobacco products on campus and in vehicles owned by community colleges. The State Board of Community Colleges must develop a curriculum and encourage community colleges to offer courses in American Sign Language as a foreign language under a law (HB 915) approved last year. North Carolina residents 65 and older can now attend up to six hours of community college credit or non-credit courses each semester without payment of fees. The law (HB 1076) excludes textbooks, computer use and technology fees, and course specific fees.   Back to List of Links

Press Release of August 18, 2008 -- Educational Programs Education remains one of the main priorities of government in North Carolina and this year, even as we faced challenges in our economy, the General Assembly continued its strong investment in public schools. More than half of the state’s budget is spent on K-12 education, community colleges, and public universities. Most of that money – $7.8 billion in this fiscal year – is spent on public schools. Our investment in this area pays off in a number of ways as more students graduate from high school and go to college and beyond. This year, we expanded our investment in a new dropout prevention program and in the state’s acclaimed More at Four preschool program, created a teacher mentoring program, and continued to look for ways to improve technology. I will explain some of these programs in a little more detail below. The list is not comprehensive, but should give you an idea of how we value education. Salaries and Bonuses Teachers in North Carolina received an average pay increase of 3 percent this year. I wish we could have given them and our state employees larger raises, but growth in the state this year was slower than in previous years and we had less money available for raises. The raise was one of the largest raises in the Southeast this fiscal year as other states experience economic slowdowns and followed an average pay increase of 5 percent last year. Starting pay for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree is now about $31,000 a year and average pay in North Carolina ranks second in the Southeast. This year, we allowed the State Board of Education to spend up to $94 million for teacher bonuses for student performance. Unlike previous years, we capped the amount so that we could ensure that the state had money to pay the millions more needed for higher fuel costs. More at Four We realize that much of our children’s success in school depends on what they learn before they get to school. For that reason, we continue to invest in preschool programs such as Smart Start and More at Four. This year, the state budget includes $30 million to expand the More at Four program, a high-quality pre-kindergarten program that serves thousands of at-risk children in our state. Dropout Prevention While we have made many improvements in our schools, too many of our students still fail to graduate. Last year, the General Assembly created a new dropout prevention grant program that awarded a total of $7 million to more than 60 community-based programs. This year, we expanded the program by putting another $15 million into it. The programs work with dropouts and those at risk of dropping out. The new Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation will evaluate the programs that receive grants and decide whether expanding or replicating them will improve graduation rates in the state. The commission will also review research on student success, study major middle and high school reform efforts and how they may influence the dropout rate, review the courses required for graduation, and determine whether changes should be made and which strategies best help students remain in school when they are at risk of being retained. Technology The state’s base budget includes $12 million to pay for a plan to provide information technology infrastructure in our schools. We increased that amount by $10 million in an effort to improve schools’ abilities to use up-to-date technology in our classrooms. Over the past two fiscal years, the General Assembly provided $4.5 million for a pilot program that provides laptop computers to all teachers and students in eight high schools. Mentoring The legislature increased its investment in teacher mentoring programs this year by $3 million. The money will be used to help establish a flexible program to serve all first and second-year teachers as well as first-year instructional support personnel. Under a plan approved by the State Board of Education, school systems will be allowed to use the money for programs it believes will best serve beginning teachers. Teacher Leave The General Assembly budgeted $5 million this year to allow every teacher in the state one free personal leave day. Previously, teachers had to pay to cover the cost of a substitute any time they used a personal leave day. The General Assembly also approved a change in the law that prohibits school systems from charging teachers for personal leave days taken when students are not in school. The estimated statewide savings for teachers is more than $200,000. Miscellaneous _ $35 million to cover higher diesel fuel costs for buses _ $6.2 million more for children with disabilities _ $6 million more for The Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Fund _ $3.6 million for Learn and Earn high schools; $1 million for Learn and Earn virtual schools _ $3.2 million more for academically gifted students _ $2.9 million for supplemental funding to low-wealth counties. _ $750,000 for Teach for America program _ $500,000 for childhood obesity pilot programs _ $500,000 for Communities in Schools _ $300,000 for PTA Parental Involvement Initiative Back to List of Links

Press Release of August 13, 2008 While our economy in North Carolina remains solid compared with much of the nation, parts of our state and some sectors of our industry have been challenged in recent months by financial pressures. The struggles of the mortgage industry have been particularly difficult for many people at risk of losing their homes. This session, my colleagues and I made it a priority to help families make ends meet by protecting homeowners, expanding job opportunities, and increasing incomes. This was an area of vital importance for everyone in North Carolina, and I’m pleased that we were able to address these concerns in a number of ways. I have outlined some of the major initiatives in this newsletter and I know that we will return next session prepared to continue working to protect the economy and jobs of this state in whatever way we can. Protecting Homeowners One new law approved this session will give mortgage holders more time to work out a plan with their banks before losing their homes. The bill (HB 2623) requires lenders to give homeowners 45 days notice before starting foreclosure proceedings and gives the state bank commissioner authority to delay foreclosures for 30 days in hopes of coming up with a new payment plan. Governor Mike Easley was among the major supporters of the bill and recently signed it into law. Another new law (HB 2188) will require home loan servicers to provide anyone taking out a mortgage with information about servicer fees within 30 days of the activation of those fees. The fee would be waived if the servicer fails to notify the receiver of the mortgage. Mortgage servicers must now earn a license under a new law (HB 2463) that makes it against the law to operate without one. The license would expire annually. This bill also clarifies the Mortgage Lending Act by describing in detail the qualifications and duties of a mortgage lender.  The General Assembly also invested more money in programs that help families protect their homes from foreclosure. In the state budget, we allocated $3 million for the Home Protection Pilot Program operated by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. This additional money will allow the program to expand to 39 additional counties so that the entire state is covered. The program assists workers who have lost their jobs by providing qualified homeowners interest-free loans while they look for new jobs. Homeowners who apply to the program are granted a 120-day stay of foreclosure. The state increased spending for the Housing Trust Fund by $2 million to raise its yearly budget to $10 million. The Housing Trust Fund helps provide decent, safe, and affordable housing to North Carolina citizens with low to moderate incomes. Taxes The General Assembly approved a finance package this year that didn’t raise any taxes while at the same creating or extending a number of tax credits to help more families and small businesses keep the money they earn. These tax breaks include: Expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit to 5 percent beginning January 2009. This refundable tax credit is expected to help an estimated 800,000 people in the state who earn about $40,000 a year or less by lessening their tax burden and in some cases returning money to them. $8.5 million to extend a tax credit for small businesses that provide health benefits to their employees Creation of a disabled veterans' property tax homestead exclusion to give disabled veterans and their surviving spouses a break on their property taxes $1.4 million for a three-day sales tax holiday in November on energy-efficient appliances $1 million to extend a tax credit for the use of the state ports $1 million to extend a tax credit for investment in research and development Conformity to provisions in the federal tax code to make compliance with the tax laws easier Repeal of the state gift tax in 2009 $2.2 million for clarifications to reduce the amount of the State estate tax $1.9 million for sales tax breaks for artisan bakeries, interior designers, and equipment refurbishers Expansion of the tax credit for investment in a qualified business venture Business Incentives Although most states would prefer not to spend any money for incentives, the existing competitive environment does not make that possible at this time. This year, the state has set aside $23.5 million for business recruitment. The Job Development Investment Grant, or JDIG, program received $15 million. JDIG grants are awarded only to new and expanding businesses and industrial projects with benefits that exceed the costs to the state and which would not be undertaken in North Carolina without the grant. Since the first grant was awarded in 2003, the program has helped create more than 28,000 jobs and $4 billion in investment in North Carolina. The General Assembly also appropriated $5 million for the One NC Fund and $3.5 million for the One NC Small Business Fund. The One North Carolina Fund provides financial assistance to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create jobs. One North Carolina Fund grants require local matching funds and have helped create more than 30,000 jobs and $6 billion in investment since 2001. Education for Technical and Allied Health Fields Our state spent more than $11 billion this year on education with the intention of creating stronger families and a stronger workforce. One of the ways we are helping build our workforce is through increased attention to the rapidly growing technical and allied health fields. This past session, the General Assembly appropriated $1 million to re-establish and place renewed emphasis on community college technical education programs. The money may be used for faculty, equipment or supplies in programs for construction, engineering, industrial, and transport systems technologies. The legislature also set aside an additional $4 million to expand high-cost community college allied health programs, such as practical nursing, pharmacy technology, surgical technology, therapeutic recreation, and others. This money may be used for faculty, equipment, supplies, or National League of Nursing Accreditation fees. This money is in addition to the $5.6 million already in the state’s base budget for this purpose and will be distributed to each of the state’s community colleges based on enrollment in these programs. Back to List of Links

Press Release of July 28, 2008 Helping Families Make Ends Meet One of our goals this session was to ease the economic strain that homeowners are feeling. One way we intend to do this is through better mortgage foreclosure laws. The governor is expected to soon sign into a law a bill (HB 2623) that will require servicers of subprime mortgage loans to send a notice at least 45 days prior to the foreclosure. The notice must also have information about why the home is in foreclosure and contact information for a mortgage counselor. This bill gives homeowners and banks enough time to send and receive help with foreclosures. We also agreed to expand our earned income tax credit beginning next fiscal year. Improving Education We increased teacher pay by 3 percent, continuing our efforts to bring it to the national average. Also, we have re-established the Committee on Dropout Prevention, which will assess which schools, groups, and agencies will receive $15 million in grants to improve graduation rates. We also financed a number of projects and initiatives from pre-school through college. Expanding Access to Health Care We need to continue to expand access to health care for many people in North Carolina. We included more money in our budget this year for health centers and hospitals, as well as children's health programs and programs to help minorities. We have also improved our mental health system.  Millions of dollars were set aside in the budget to increase the number of psychiatric beds, add crisis teams, and improve our facilities.  Supporting Our Military Our country would not be what it is without our military members and their families. It is only fitting that we repay them for their hard work and dedication. During this session, we passed a bill that will allow tuition-free education at a North Carolina community college or University of North Carolina system school for dependent children of veterans who are killed while serving our country.  In the budget, money has also been allocated for Traumatic Brain Injury Services and the North Carolina State Veterans Park. Protecting the Environment My colleagues and I have made a lot of strides to make North Carolina greener.  The Land for Tomorrow Initiative will receive $50 million to help acquire land and conservation areas. We have also passed legislation that will help with our state’s current and future drought problems.  With recommendations from the Environmental Review Commission, people who transport more than 100,000 gallons of groundwater or more per day must register the amount.  Also, local governments and communities will develop and implement water conservation procedures.  Ensuring Prosperous and Safe Communities My colleagues and I believe that safe communities are a must.  We have passed three very important pieces of legislation to help ensure this: 1) Pending the governor’s signature, anyone who knowingly violates a domestic violence protective order and has been previously convicted of two violations will be guilty of a Class H felony. 2) The new Street Gang Prevention Act makes it a serious crime to initiate gang activity, encourage or involve a minor in gang activity, discharge a firearm for the purpose of gang activity in an enclosure or participate in other gang-related crimes. 3) The new Jessica Lunsford Act will make child sex offenders guilty of a B1 felony. Those who are found guilty will receive lifetime GPS monitoring or life in prison without parole.  The act also increases the penalties for prostituting a minor and for the exploitation of a minor. Improving Transportation We began a phase out of the longstanding transfer from the Highway Trust Fund to the general fund and have dedicated the money to congestion relief projects. Strengthening Confidence in Government One of the most important things we need is for the citizens of North Carolina to have total faith in their government. We made important changes in our election and campaign finance laws this year that will make these laws stronger and better. Back to List of Links

Press Release of August 4, 2008 This past week, Governor Mike Easley signed into law a bill that is expected to help our state better manage its water resources, particularly during times of drought. The bill is one of several items from this session intended to help the state protect our natural resources and our environment. We also continued our efforts to protect clean water and preserve open space and farmland. These initiatives are especially important as our state grows and there is increasing development pressure.  Drought Management The governor signed a bill to give the state's chief executive more authority during a drought.  The bill (HB 2499) gives the governor greater ability during a drought to work with local governments to address water shortages and makes other changes to improve how we manage droughts. The new law also requires public water providers to develop drought and water shortage plans at least once every five years. Heavy water users will be subject to stricter reporting requirements. During the worst droughts, the state could require weekly reports from public water systems. The law will be phased in between October 2008 and July 2009. I believe that water is the lifeblood of North Carolina’s economy and quality of life.  This legislation required a great deal of negotiation between the Governor’s office and a wide array of impacted groups.  Cities and counties, the NC Farm Bureau, the Ground Water Association, various environmental groups, the development community, and the landscape industry, among others, participated in the dialogue and affected the final version of the bill. This new law is an important tool for water conversation. The issue of water supply for North Carolina is also of critical importance and is being addressed in a water study, which will be ongoing over the next two years. The state's budget includes $2.1 million for agricultural drought response and a drought reserve. Most of the money, $1.5 million, will be used to help farmers recover from the damage caused by our ongoing drought. The state has budgeted $1.15 million for renovation of pastures destroyed by the lack of rain, $200,000 for drilling and repair of wells that were damaged or dried up during the drought, and $150,000 to renovate or build farm ponds. The state's Tobacco Trust Fund Commission has also awarded a grant of $6 million for this effort. Energy Efficiency The General Assembly created a sales-tax holiday for the purchase of efficient appliances in hopes of helping people reduce their energy use. The exemption will apply to all Energy Star products. These products meet the energy efficient guidelines set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy. They include clothes washers, freezers and refrigerators, air conditioners, heat pumps, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, and programmable thermostats. The state estimates the holiday will save consumers $1.4 million in taxes. The three-day holiday will begin on the first Friday of November and run through the following Sunday. Environmental Cleanup North Carolina has improved its program for the monitoring and cleanup of underground petroleum tanks through a new law approved in the General Assembly this session. The bill (HB 2498) increases the fees paid by the owners and operators of these tanks to raise additional money for the assessment and clean up of leaks. It also requires better secondary protective measures for regulated underground tanks and requires the state to establish a pilot program that would evaluate the use of site-specific cleanup standards rather than the broader standards in use now. The results of the pilot study are due in September 2009. The bill also establishes time limits on some actions that can be taken by state environmental regulators. Land Preservation The General Assembly appropriated $50 million this year for the Land for Tomorrow initiative, which provides capital funding for the acquisition of State park lands and conservation areas. Parks projects will be identified by the NC Parks and Recreation Authority for expanding the State Park System and the Mountain to Seas Trail. Natural heritage projects will be identified by the trustees of the Natural Heritage Trust Fund to represent the ecological diversity of the State. All funds will support the conservation priorities of the One North Carolina Naturally Program. The Land for Tomorrow program was created to help preserve the state's land, water and historic places and wants to help the state work toward its goal of conserving 1 million acres. The state also budgeted $4 million for farmland preservation. The Farmland Preservation Trust Fund was created to purchase agricultural conservation easements and conservation agreements that will allow the production of food and other agricultural products to continue. Since 2002, North Carolina has lost 6,000 farms and 300,000 acres of farmland, the most in the nation during that time span. Clean Water The state again dedicated $100 million to the Clean Water Management Trust Fund. The fund was created to help local governments, state agencies, and conservation non-profit groups finance projects to protect and restore water quality. Between 1997 and 2007, the fund gave out more than 1,100 grants worth more than $830 million. The money has been used to expand state parks and game lands, protect waterways, and develop better agricultural practices. It has also leveraged more than $1.4 billion in private money. Back to List of Links

Agenda Accomplished -- Economy, Education, Health Care, and More Thank you for your support over this past session.  If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact my office. On Friday, July 18th, the House of Representatives, along with the Senate, adjourned the 2008 short session.  Earlier in the session, the Democratic caucus established an agenda that we used to guide us in our work. I'm proud to say that we have accomplished all that we intended to do. In this report, I want to update you on those accomplishments. This year, helping families and businesses deal with a challenging economy was one of the top priorities. House Democrats helped do this with several new laws that protect homeowners against foreclosure. They also expanded tax credits for working families and for small businesses. Improving education has been a longstanding goal of the caucus and continued to be during this past session, when the General Assembly agreed to extend its dropout prevention grant program and invest millions in the state’s public universities and community colleges. Other priorities for this session were expanding access to health care, supporting our military, protecting the environment, ensuring prosperous and safe communities, improving transportation, and strengthening confidence in government. A full list of the priorities for the House Democratic Caucus and the major legislation passed to address those priorities follows. Priority:  Help Families Make Ends Meet by Protecting Homeowners, Expanding Job Opportunities, and Increasing Incomes   HB 2623 - Emergency Foreclosure Reduction Program HB 2463 - Regulate Mortgage Servicers HB 2188 - Earlier Notification of Mortgage Service Fee HB 2436 - $3 million – Home Protection Program HB 2436 - $2 million – Housing Trust Fund HB 2436 - Earned Income Tax Credit Increase to 5%, Effective Jan 1, 2009 HB 2436 - Extend Small Business Tax Credits, e.g., R&D, Health Insurance, State Ports HB 2436 - 2.75% or $1,100 State Employee Pay Raise HB 2436 - 2.2% increase for Retirees HB 2436 - $3.5 million – One NC Small Business Fund HB 2436 - $5 million – One NC Fund HB 2436 - $15 million – Job Development Investment Grants HB 2436 - $1 million – Expand Community College Technical Education Programs HB 2436 - $4 million – Expand Community College Allied Health Programs Priority:  Improve Education by Reducing the Dropout Rate, Raising Teacher Pay and Increasing Access to Higher Education HB 2436 Section 7.14(a) – Re-establish Committee on Drop-out Prevention HB 2436- $15 million – Drop-out Prevention Grants HB 2436 - $3.5 million – Learn and Earn High Schools HB 2436 - 3% Teacher Pay Increase HB 2436 - $34.6 million – University System Enrollment Growth HB 2436- $23.7 million – Community College System Enrollment Growth Priority:  Expand Access to Health Care by Improving the Public Mental Health System, Increasing Health Insurance Coverage for Children, Improving Minority Health Outcomes and Studying Ways to Provide Health Insurance to North Carolina’s Residents HB 2436 Section 10.12 – Expand Health Choice/Kid’s Care HB 2436 - $1 million – Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative HB 2431 Part XXXI – NC Institute of Medicine to Study Issues Relating to Access to                                                      Health Care HB 2436 - $43 million – Expand and improve community and institution based mental                                                          health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services HB 2436 - $7 million – Housing Assistance for Persons with Disabilities HB 2436 Section 10.4 – Mental Health Changes Priority:  Support Our Military by Providing Educational Opportunities for Children of Eligible Veterans, Property Tax Relief for Disabled Veterans and Supplemental Funding for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries HB 2436 Section 28.11(b) – Property Tax Exclusion for Disabled Veterans HB 2436 - $326,500 – Increase Scholarships for Children of War Veterans HB 2436 - $1 million – Traumatic Brain Injury Services Priority:  Protect the Environment by Enacting Policies to Address Drought Conditions, Encourage Energy Saving and Protect Open Lands HB 2499 - Drought/Water Management Recommendations HB 2436 - $2.1 million – Drought Response/Reserve HB 2436 Section 28.12(a) – Sales Tax Holiday for Certain Energy Star Appliances HB 2498 - Underground Storage Tank Amendments HB 2436 - $4 million – Farmland Preservation Trust HB 2436 - $100 million – Clean Water Management Trust Fund HB 2436 - $50 million – Land for Tomorrow Priority:  Ensure Prosperous and Safe Communities by Reducing Gang Activity, Combating Illegal Immigration, Reducing Domestic Violence and Juvenile Crime and Improving the Criminal Justice System HB 2436 - $22.6 million – Restore JCPC Funding HB 2436 - $500,000 – Expand JCPC Funding HB 2436 - $600,000 – Illegal Immigration Project HB 274 - Street Gang Prevention Act HB 2436 - $10 million – Gang Prevention Grants HB 44 - Domestic Violence Order/Repeat Violator HB 2436 - $100,000 – Expand DOP Domestic Violence Rehab Program HB 2189 - Domestic Violence Victim Assistance HB 2436 - Increase Domestic Violence Center Funds/Divorce Filing Fee Increase HB 2436 - $2.5 million – Reserve for Probation Supervision HB 2436 - $5 million – Criminal Justice Data Integration Pilot HB 2105 - Compensation for the Erroneously Convicted Priority:  Improve Transportation by Implementing Certain Recommendations of the 21st Century Transportation Committee HB 2436 - $25 million – Reduction in Amount Transferred from the Highway Trust Fund HB 2436 - $25 million – NC Turnpike Authority Priority:  Strengthen Confidence In Government by Enhancing the Enforcement Capacity of the Ethics Commission and the State Board of Elections. HB 2436 - $202,861 – Campaign Reporting Division Staff HB 2436 - $326,034 – Ethics Commission HB 2542 - Clarify Ethics and Lobbying Laws Back to List of Links