The House Finance Committee passed HB 1050 - Omnibus Tax Law Changes (http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2013/Bills/House/PDF/H1050v1.pdf) - on Thursday.  In committee Representative Carney moved to delete a section of the bill regarding the taxing of vapor cigarettes so it could be considered separately from the omnibus package but the amendment failed on a tie vote; Representative Hamilton entered the room late and asked to have her vote recorded in favor of the amendment but the Chair declined stating that the vote was over. Then the Committee overwhelmingly supported Representative Starnes' amendment to remove the section of the bill that changes NC's apportionment calculation.  The Senate won't be pleased.

The Joint Legislative Committee on the Affordable Care Act Implementation met Tuesday to present a bill that would have banned any new health insurance mandate in NC for the next two years; if approved by the ACA Committee the bill would have skirted last year's crossover bill deadline and could be introduced this session.  Senator Hartsell, who was presenting the bill, intended for the legislation have a calming effect on the health insurance marketplace but it also would have killed several bills pending in the Senate that the House had overwhelmingly supported.  The bill was never approved due to the lack of a quorum all three times the committee met and the moratorium bill will not be introduced this session.  The bills it would have killed deal with insurance parity for chiropractors (http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2013/Bills/Senate/PDF/S561v1.pdf), mandated coverage for oral chemotherapy drugs (http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2013/Bills/House/PDF/H609v4.pdf) and autism treatment insurance coverage (http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2013/Bills/House/PDF/H498v4.pdf).