Kilpatrick Townsend’s Government Relations Advisor Ches McDowell, based in the firm’s Raleigh and Winston-Salem offices, recently presented an update concerning the 2017 North Carolina Legislature.

Key takeaways from that presentation include:

• The North Carolina General Assembly maintained a veto-proof majority in the 2016 elections with the Governor vetoing 11 bills, of which seven have been overridden so far.
• General Assembly passed a $23 billion budget – major provisions include:
  • Average teacher pay raise of 9.6% over two years;
  • $1,000 salary increase to state employees and 1% COLA to retirees;
  • $10 million for opioid and substance abuse treatment centers across the State;
  • $700 million in tax cuts; and
  • Historic increase in state funding for commercial airports.
• Major legislation passed in 2017 includes:
  • HB 2 repeal;
  • STOP Act;
  • Renewable energy changes;
  • Multiple environmental bills; and
  • “Brunch Bill”
• The General Assembly did not adjourn sine die in June and has returned to take up veto overrides, conference reports and legislative redistricting. They are scheduled to return in October to possibly take up judicial redistricting, constitutional amendments, more veto overrides, and conference reports.
• The legislative short session convenes on May 16.