This week at the Legislature, Senate confirmation of Cabinet secretaries continued as Legislators filed dozens of bills ahead of filing deadlines.
Confirmations
Senate committees are continuing the process of confirming Governor Cooper's Cabinet members. Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Machelle Sanders, Secretary of the Department of Administration, were both confirmed by the Senate Thursday. Acting Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality, Michael Regan, was recommended for confirmation by the Senate Agriculture, Natural, and Economic Resources Committee Thursday. He will next go before the Senate Nominations Committee.
Education Boards
This week the House voted to elect their six appointees to the UNC Board of Governors. Kellie Hunt Blue, chair of the UNC Pembroke trustees, Rob Bryan, former Republican House member, Carolyn Lloyd Coward, trustee of Western Carolina University, Leo Daughtry, also a former Republican House member, Wendy Murphy, UNC Wilmington trustee, and Doyle Parrish, an incumbent member were all elected Wednesday.
The House and Senate also elected Burr W. Sullivan, former CEO of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce, and current Board member Wade Bryan Irwin, respectively, to serve six- year terms on the North Carolina Board of Community Colleges.
Ethics and Elections (SB68)
The House passed a bill this week that aims to consolidate the state elections and ethics boards and evenly divide membership of the eight person board between Republicans and Democrats. A similar piece of legislation, passed in December of 2016, was recently ruled an unconstitutional encroachment on executive authority by a three judge panel. The new proposal gives the Governor the authority to appoint all eight members from names submitted by the State's two largest political parties. It was adopted in the House largely on a party-line vote and Governor Cooper has indicated he will veto it if it reaches his desk.
Bills Filed