LEGISLATIVE UPDATE for 5/21/2021:

NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

A very quiet week this week with little going on in the House side. Many House members stayed home as there were no voting sessions and just a few Appropriations Committee meetings.

Please note the first two bills below that did not make the crossover cut for this session, so they are DEAD unless reintroduced in 2023. H-513 was the net ban bill. The other bills listed are still alive either because they passed the House or the Senate OR they have a monetary component and referred to a Finance or Appropriations Committee. H-894, the Southern Flounder bill is in that category.

On another note, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Energy and the Environment held a hearing on Tuesday afternoon over concerns of the recent fuel shortage caused by the Colonial Pipeline shutdown recently. There were 4 experts who gave testimony and answered questions. While most of the discussion centered on pipelines and their vulnerability, there was mention of offshore wind as part of the solution. In particular, Nelson Peeler, Duke Energy’s Senior VP & Chief Transmission Officer, referenced offshore wind in his comments.

God Bless,

Jerry

 

S-26 TERMINAL GROIN DEFINITION; DEAD
https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/Senate/PDF/S26v0.pdf

 

H-513 PEOPLES’ CHOICE FOR MARINE SOURCES; DEAD
Sponsored by Richardson, Lucas, Yarborough
https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H513v1.pdf

 

H-2 BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN AS STATE MARINE MAMMAL; nothing new as of 5/21
https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H2v1.pdf
Passed by the House on 3/31. Vote was 119-0. Now in Senate Rules.

H-87 FUNDS/NEW NORTH CAROLINA MARITIME MUSEUM; nothing new as of 5/21
https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H87v1.pdf
Currently in the House Committee on Appropriations; if favorable Rules.

H-161 ADDRESS ABANDONED AND DERELICT VESSELS; nothing new as of 5/21
sponsored by Hanig, McElraft, Iler & Shepard;
https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H161v2.pdf
Passed the House 119-0 on 3/24; now in Senate Rules

H-181 WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION AMENDMENTS; nothing new as of 5/21
sponsored by Adams, Yarborough & Wray;
favorable report by Wildlife Resources Committee on 3/23; favorable report by Marine Resources Committee on 3/30 after deleting the sections on proclamation authority and dogs; now in House Finance Committee.
https://webservices.ncleg.gov/ViewBillDocument/2021/2068/0/H181-PCS10216-BRf-5

 

H-182 INCREASING MEAT PRODUCTION AND CAPACITY; nothing new as of 5/21
The above is the “short title”; full title is: AN ACT TO STRENGTHEN THE MEAT AND SEAFOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES IN NORTH CAROLINA BY MAKING PERMANENT THE “INCREASING SEAFOOD AND MEAT PRODUCTION AND CAPACITY” GRANT PROGRAM
sponsored by McNeely, Gillespie, Hanig, and Elmore;
Reported favorable by House Ag Committee; now in Marine Resources
https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H182v0.pdf

S-279 REGULATE NAVIGABLE WATERS (New Bern, Bridgeton, Oriental); nothing new as of 5/21
sponsored by Sanderson, Steinburg;
Passed by the Senate on 4/1; now in House Rules
https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/Senate/PDF/S279v1.pdf

S-296 COLLABORATORY/FISHERIES STUDY; nothing new as of 5/21
sponsored by Lee, Sanderson, Lazzara, Garrett, Mayfield, Steinburg
Passed by the Senate on 4/1; now in House Rules
https://webservices.ncleg.gov/ViewBillDocument/2021/2026/0/S296-PCS15188-BR-7

 

 

S-317 MARINE FISHERIES REFORM; nothing new as of 5/21
sponsored by Sanderson;
similar to a bill by the same name passed by the Senate 46-1 in 2019 but never heard in the House; similar, but there are some significant changes.

Passed by the Senate on 4/1; now in House Rules
https://webservices.ncleg.gov/ViewBillDocument/2021/2028/0/S317-PCS15189-BR-8


H-281 LOGGERHEAD TURTLE/STATE SALTWATER REPTILE; nothing new as of 5/21
sponsored by Iler, Hanig, McElraft, Shepard, Autry, Belk, Brown, Butler, Carter, Clemmons, Dahle, Goodwin, Harrison, Hawkins, Insko, Majeed, Moss, Penny, Warren
Passed by the House on 4/22 by a vote of 115-0; now in Senate Rules. https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H281v1.pdf

H-518 TEMPORARILY WAIVE COMMERCIAL FISHING FEES; nothing new as of 5/21
Sponsored by Goodwin, Hanig, Wray, Richardson, Autry, Brisson, Carney, Carter, Fisher, Harrison, Hunter, Iler, Insko, Lucas, McNeely, Moss, Shepard
Reported favorable by Marine Resources on 4/20; now in Finance
https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H518v1.pdf

 

H-894 REBUILD SOUTHERN FLOUNDER STOCKS; nothing new as of 5/21
Sponsored by Yarborough, Saine, Bell, Cunningham, Adams, A.Baker, Belk, Dahle, Dixon, Hawkins, Humphrey, Hunt, Hunter, Insko, Lucas, McNeely, Moffitt, Quick, Richardson, Rogers, Sauls, R. Smith, Wray, Zachary
Referred to Marine Resources
https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H894v1.pdf