NC Bill filings in 2007-2008 highest since 1913

With filings today, the 4,962 total bills and 2,164 Senate bills filed in 2007-2008 are the highest since the 1913 Session of the North Carolina General Assembly saw 5,627 and 2,660 respectively. The House total of 2,798 bills filed in 2007-2008 was exceeded in the past century only by 2,967 in 1913 and 2,895 in 2005. 

The 2007-2008 totals include a total of 10 House bills and four Senate bills for the two extra sessions.

The high totals in the 1911 session promoted then Governor W.W. Kitchin to send a special message to the General Assembly, stating that “Special legislation is the greatest scourge of government.” The 1913 session, while considering the record 5,627 bills, passed a constitutional amendment to greatly restrict local and special legislation. That amendment was rejected by the voters, but a revised version was passed again in 1915 and approved by the voters in 1916, which banned 26 categories of bills. Bill filings gradually trailed off through 1943, when they began to climb again.  The lowest total bills in the past century occurred in 1943 when 1,223 bills were filed.

Totals for each biennial session appear below (regular sessions have been held each year since 1973). The totals include special sessions.

remaining 2008 bill eligibility

With the passing of today’s 4:00 pm deadline for local and pension bills, only the following categories of bills and resolutions remain eligible for introduction in the 2008 short session of the North Carolina General Assembly under the adjournment resolution. There is no deadline on any of these other than (12). Note that bills under category (7) can not be filed UNTIL an authorizing resolution has passed each house by 2/3 vote. Some explanations appear after the list.

 

…..

(*2*)                   Bills amending the Constitution of North Carolina.

…..

(*6*)                   Selection, appointment, or confirmation of members of State boards and commissions as required by law, including the filling of vacancies of positions for which the appointees were elected by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, President of the Senate, or President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(*7*)                   Any matter authorized by joint resolution passed during the 2008 Regular Session by a two‑thirds majority of the members of the House of Representatives present and voting and by a two‑thirds majority of the members of the Senate present and voting. A bill or resolution filed in either house under the provisions of this subdivision shall have a copy of the ratified enabling resolution attached to the jacket before filing for introduction in the Senate or introduction in the House of Representatives.

(*8*)                   A joint resolution authorizing the introduction of a bill pursuant to subdivision (7) of this section.

…..

(*10*)                 Joint resolutions, House resolutions, and Senate resolutions authorized for introduction under Senate Rule 40(b) or House Rule 31.

(*11*)                 A joint resolution adjourning the 2007 Regular Session, sine die.

(*12*)                 Bills to disapprove rules under G.S. 150B‑21.3.

 

                                    NOTES: Resolutions under category (10) might include those honoring the memory of a deceased former member, authorize astudy of a subject by the Legislative Research Commission, or deal with some matter internal to the procedures of either house or the General Assembly. Bills in category (12) must be filed by the end of the 30th legislative day, which is Wednesday, July 2, assuming sessions only on Monday-Thursday before then.

 

Drafting workload thankfully down

We’re passed the bill request deadlines for the 2008 short session of the North Carolina General Assembly, and drafting staff has dug out from under all the incoming requests and logged everything in (and done most of the drafting);

 

While our workload is way up comparing 2008 with 2002 and 2004, it is off considerably from 2006, which is a welcome relief:

 

TOTALS, all comparisons to 11th calendar day of session:

 

	2008	2006	2004	2002
Bill Drafting Div.	1189	1875	889	714
Research Division	251	256	258	154
Total Draft Requests	1440	2131	1147	868

 

 

 

 

Increase/Decrease

% Change
	2006 to 2008	2004 to 2008	2002 to 2008
Bill Drafting Div.	-36.6%	+33.7%	+66.5%
Research Division	-2.0%	-2.7%	+63.0%
Total	-32.4%	+25.5%	+65.9%

 

Mockingbirds hold NC General Assembly hostage

email just in:

“All Staff:

There are two very aggressive mockingbirds that have a nest in a tree on the east side of the Legislative building. They are responsible for numerous attacks on humans in the last several days. The police department has taped off a buffer zone around the nest area. Please do not enter this taped off area. If you do you are subject to being vigorously assaulted by these two protective parents. Use caution.

General Assembly Police Department.”

 

Governor’s budget online

The Governor’s office has placed online his proposed budget adjustments for 2008-2009. it’s a 270 page document.

first two bill deadlines this week

The first two bill request deadlines occur this week for the 2008 short session of the North Carolina General Assembly, which convenes Tuesday, May 13, 2008. They are shown in italics in the table below. 
 

2008 House/Senate Deadlines

Drafts	To Bill Drafting By 4:00 PM	Filed in House/Senate By 4:00 PM
Study Bills	Wednesday, May 14	Wednesday, May 21
Bills Affecting 2007-2008 Budget	Friday, May 16	Tuesday, May 27
Local Bills	Wednesday, May 21	Wednesday, May 28
Bills Affecting Pension or RetirementSystems	Wednesday, May 21	Wednesday, May 28

Eligible but no deadlines:

(1) Appointments to and confirmation of members of State boards and commissions

(2) State Constitutional amendments

(3) Resolutions honoring deceased persons

(4) Resolutions authorizing other bills (two-thirds vote required)

(5) Bills disapproving administrative rules

 

short session authorizing resolutions explained

I have had several requests recently to explain “authorizing resolutions” for the 2008 short session of the North Carolina General Assembly

 

The adjournment resolution lists ten categories of bills that can be considered in the short session:

(1)    state budget and state tax bills,

(2)    state constitutional amendments,

(3)    bills that passed one house in 2007,

(4)    bills recommended by study commissions and select committees in the interim,

(5)    noncontroversial local bills,

(6)    appointments,

(7)    state and local pension bills

(8)    joint resolutions allowed under the rules,

(9)    adjournment resolutions, and

(10)   bills disapproving administrative rules.

 

It then allows bills that are not otherwise eligible to be considered in the following circumstance:

 

“(7)       Any matter authorized by joint resolution passed during the 2008 Regular Session by a two‑thirds majority of the members of the House of Representatives present and voting and by a two‑thirds majority of the members of the Senate present and voting. A bill or resolution filed in either house under the provisions of this subdivision shall have a copy of the ratified enabling resolution attached to the jacket before filing for introduction in the Senate or introduction in the House of Representatives.”

 

In order to use this provision, the member needs to have the substantive bill drafted and also ask the drafting staff to prepare the “authorizing resolution”, which lists the title of the bill proposed to be authorized. The member may ask for an authorizing resolution at the same time the substantive request is made. The member files the authorizing resolution, and when passed by two-thirds vote of each house and ratified, the member may then introduce the main bill.

 

Here is how many authorizing resolutions were ratified in each short session the past 20 years:

2006:     7

2004:     0

2002:     1

2000:     0

1998:     0

1996:     9

1994:     5

1992:    37

1990:    31

1988:    11

 

Here is what one authorizing resolution that passed looks like:

 

A JOINT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE 2005 GENERAL ASSEMBLY, REGULAR SESSION 2006, TO CONSIDER A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT ALLOWING THE STATE LICENSING BOARD OF GENERAL CONTRACTORS TO EXTEND THE PERIOD IN WHICH A LICENSE REMAINS IN EFFECT AFTER A PERSON LICENSED ON BEHALF OF A FIRM OR CORPORATION CEASES TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FIRM OR CORPORATION.

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

 

SECTION 1.  The 2005 General Assembly, Regular Session 2006, may consider “A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT ALLOWING THE STATE LICENSING BOARD OF GENERAL CONTRACTORS TO EXTEND THE PERIOD IN WHICH A LICENSE REMAINS IN EFFECT AFTER A PERSON LICENSED ON BEHALF OF A FIRM OR CORPORATION CEASES TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FIRM OR CORPORATION.”

SECTION 2.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 15^th day of June, 2006.