Kilpatrick Townsend’s Government Relations Team represents a variety of clients across many industries and in all levels of government, with a focus on the North Carolina General Assembly. Below is an update on the activity at the NC General Assembly this week.

Legislature Adjourns
Today (December 10) the legislature will adjourn the regular 2021 legislative session to a date certain. The legislature will stand adjourned until December 30. As outlined in the adjournment resolution, upon returning, the legislature can only take up a narrow number of matters. Items that could be considered include veto overrides, appointments, and redistricting.

Due to adjournment, this will be the final weekly newsletter for 2021. You will continue to receive legislative updates from us periodically as legislative actions occur.

North Carolina 2022 Elections Delayed
Candidate filing for the 2022 elections began on Monday. The original filing period was scheduled for December 10 to December 17. However, on Wednesday, the North Carolina Supreme Court suspended candidate filing for all offices and moved the 2022 primary election date from March 8 to May 17. Before the filing was suspended, 1,400 candidates had filed with the State Board of Elections.

The NC Supreme Court ordered the delay so the lawsuits related to gerrymandering can be heard. Historically, redistricting lawsuits have taken years to work through the courts, but the Order also requires the trial to be completed by January 11, 2022. The full Order can be found here. Read the press release from the State Board of Elections here.

Senate Majority Leader Not Seeking Re-Election
This week, Senator Kathy Harrington (R-Gaston), the current Senate Majority Leader, announced she will not be seeking re-election. Sen. Harrington was the first woman to serve as the Senate Majority Leader and has served in the Senate for 12 years. Sen. Harrington’s full announcement can be read here.