KTS Strategies brings years of experience providing clients in a diverse range of industries with comprehensive policy and advocacy advice before federal, state, and local agencies. In North Carolina, we advise local municipalities, corporate transportation entities, nonprofit organizations, statewide associations, government vendors, and Fortune 500 companies before the North Carolina General Assembly and executive branch.
Below is an update on the activity at the NC General Assembly this week.
Vetoes Overridden
On Tuesday, the General Assembly voted to override five more of Governor Roy Cooper’s vetoes. Cooper has vetoed 19 bills in total this session, and they have all been overridden by the legislature to become Session Law. The vetoed bills are below.
- H600, Regulatory Reform Act of 2023, would amend various laws related to state and local government, agriculture, energy, environment, natural resources, and other regulations. This is an annual omnibus bill from the legislature that aims to modify business regulations in the state to encourage economic growth and development.
- S512, Greater Accountability for Boards and Commissions, would change the composition and appointments structure of several state governing boards and commissions, resulting in less positions that will be appointed by the Governor. The bill would transfer some of the Governor’s appointments to elected state officials such as the Agriculture Commissioner, while others would be made by the General Assembly.
- S678, Clean Energy/Other Changes, would change the definition of “renewable energy” in state law to “clean energy,” making nuclear energy eligible for that categorization and allowing utilities to count it towards their carbon-free energy goals.
- S747, Elections Law Changes, would require absentee ballots to be received by 7:30 PM on Election Day, prohibit private money from elections administration, and give more freedom to poll observers for watching the voting process.
- S749, No Partisan Advantage in Elections, would make changes to the structure of both state and county boards of elections. It would increase the number of members on the State Board of Elections from five to eight and decrease the number of members on each of the 100 county boards of elections from five to four. There would be an even partisan split on each of the boards, and all appointments would be made by the General Assembly instead of the Governor.
