The House Finance Committee today gave a nod to SB 853 - Modernize Business Court after plenty of committee discussion. The bill required approval of the Finance Committee because it increases the filing fee for a business court case from $1,000 to $1,100 which is expected to generate an additional $13,400 each year. However, the reporting requirements of the bill necessitate adding a judicial assistant at a cost to the state of $64,000.

After presenting this bill at least six other times, Sen. Barringer has developed very concise talking points. In particular, she highlighted appealing written Business Court decisions directly to the Supreme Court, skipping the Court of Appeals, in an effort to create a consistent body of case law regarding complex business cases without the various 3-judge panels of the Court of Appeals; the thought being that the same justices would have final say each time.

The bill now heads to the House floor. Because of the House changes in the Senate Bill, the Senate will then have to vote whether to concur.

View the version approved by the House Finance Committee here: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2013/Bills/Senate/PDF/S853v5.pdf