Independent. Informative. Intelligent.

Local

House backs PFAS compensation demands

Despite a warning from the NC Chamber that it’s scoring their votes, a near-unanimous House agreed Wednesday that PFAS manufacturers should have to compensate downstream water systems for pollution-control costs. House Bill 569 would assign to Department of Environment Quality Secretary Reid Wilson and his successor the authority to decide...

By Ray Gronberg

May 12, 2025

Housing bills stall

The drive to partially deregulate the state’s home-construction sector is running into some roadblocks. It remains to be seen if they’re temporary. Rep. Mark Brody, R-Union, conceded Wednesday that House Bill 765, the omnibus measure that would set residential-zone density minimums across the state, wouldn’t make it through the chamber...

By Ray Gronberg

May 8, 2025

Chambers addressing water rights

A near-unanimous House agreed Tuesday evening that the state needs to put a moratorium on large new between-basins water transfers like one Charlotte wants. The only dissent from the 108-1 vote to pass House Bill 850 and send it to the Senate came from Rep. Carolyn Logan, D-Mecklenburg. If the...

By Ray Gronberg

May 8, 2025

Data center needs

Data-center electricity needs are “unlike anything we’ve ever seen” and state officials will have to make their owners and operators ante up financially to avoid having North Carolinians subsidize them, the head of the N.C. Public Staff says. They and large-load customers like them “need to be willing to put...

By Ray Gronberg

May 8, 2025

Banking bill aims to stop scams of elderly

Bankers could gain the authority to delay some financial transactions if they suspect that an elderly client is being exploited, under House bill that’s cleared two of the chamber’s committees. House Bill 754 defines exploitation as the improper use of a physically or mentally incapacitated adult’s money and other assets...

By Ray Gronberg

May 7, 2025

Housing deregulation bill advances

A bill that among other things would establish density minimums on residential land throughout the state is once again on the move. House Bill 765 cleared the chamber’s Housing and Development committee on Tuesday, the panel getting a second chance to review it after Speaker Destin Hall changed the bill’s...

By Ray Gronberg

May 7, 2025

Ticket sales

The Carolina Panthers and one of the state’s leading arts groups are opposing a House proposal that would clamp down on the ability of “ticket issuers” to restrict how their customers put tickets up for re-sale. But House Bill 598 cleared the chamber’s Commerce and Economic Development committee on Tuesday...

By Ray Gronberg

May 7, 2025

Crypto as legal tender?

A House committee is scheduled today to take a up a bill that would make cryptocurrency “a valid medium of exchange in North Carolina,” including for the payment of state taxes. House Bill 920 is up for consideration this morning in the House’s Commerce and Economic Development committee. If it...

By Ray Gronberg

May 6, 2025

Bill would ban local “guaranteed income” programs

The House may advance legislation that would bar cities and counties like Durham from experimenting with no-strings-attached “guaranteed income” programs. House Bill 859 would forbid them from enacting anything where “an individual is issued an unconditional cash payment on a regular basis to be used for any purpose by the...

By Ray Gronberg

May 6, 2025

Housing update

While there’s no shortage of bills in either chamber that seek to boost North Carolina’s housing supply, it’s far from clear which of them has the best chance of becoming law. The highest-profile of the proposals, House Bill 765, is scheduled for a hearing this morning in the House’s Housing...

By Ray Gronberg

May 6, 2025

A liability exemption for AI developers?

There’s no shortage of bills pending in both chambers that would address AI and its uses, but House Deputy Majority Whip Jake Johnson, R-Polk, is sponsoring one that’s actually on the move. House Bill 934 has two parts, and for business folks, the more interesting is the second. It would...

By Ray Gronberg

May 5, 2025

Bill seeks to regulate homeless encampments

Rep. Brian Biggs, R-Randolph, wants the House and Senate to lay down what he calls some “clear guidance” to cities and counties about the handling of homeless encampments. House Bill 781 would ban them on public property by default, but it would allow cities and counties to designate certain properties...

By Ray Gronberg

May 5, 2025

Black Caucus has a job for Boliek

Legislative Black Caucus leaders want State Auditor Dave Boliek and his staff to investigate the state’s assisted-living industry. Federal data from February of this year indicates that for-profit care homes “generate eight times more substantiated complaints per residence than nonprofits,” said Sen. Kandie Smith, D-Pitt. “That is not a rounding...

By Ray Gronberg

May 2, 2025

Berger on Tine

Senate leader Phil Berger is voicing cautious optimism about the Stein administration’s choice of a new Division of Motor Vehicles commissioner. The N.C. Department of Transportation announced this week that former state Rep. Paul Tine will take over from incumbent Commissioner Wayne Goodwin as of May 6. Berger said his...

By Ray Gronberg

May 2, 2025

Land-use lawsuits

House members would hit local governments in the pocketbook in some cases if their actions in a land-use dispute wind up sparking court action. By a 67-39 vote, the chamber passed House Bill 913 on Thursday and sent it on to the Senate. The bill includes a section that would...

By Ray Gronberg

May 2, 2025