By Cassie Gavin
Director of Government Relations
This week at the legislature ,we saw the pace pick up with more committee meetings and bill filings. And we saw some good bills with bipartisan support filed!
Opportunity for Action:
Please take a moment to encourage your state representative to support these bills or thank them if they are already a sponsor or co-sponsor.
House Bill 334, NCSU Honey Bee Laboratory/Funds, sponsored by Reps. Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson), Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba), Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) and John Ager (D-Buncombe), would direct $2 million to NC State University to create a new Field Honey Bee Lab and for continuing research to address the declining honey bee colonies that are essential for agriculture. North Carolina farmers rely on bees to pollinate plants but we lost 50% of our honey bees last year. The co-sponsors are listed here.
House Bill 330, Efficient Government Buildings and Savings Act, sponsored by Reps. John Szoka (R-Cumberland), Dean Arp (R-Union), Chris Humphrey (R-Lenoir, Pitt) and Stephen Ross (R-Alamance) would increase the energy efficiency targets for state buildings to a 40 percent reduction in energy consumption from 2003 levels by 2025. This is an improvement from the current goal of 30 percent reduction by 2015. The bill would also require improved water conservation efforts for state buildings. If enacted, this proposal would avoid an estimated nearly $1.1 billion in utility costs between 2018 and 2025, and net North Carolina taxpayers an estimated over $250 million in savings. Co-sponsors listed here.
House Bill 329, Exempt EV Stations/Public Utilities Regulations, sponsored by Reps. John Szoka, Dean Arp, Bobby Hanig (R-Currituck, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico) and Harry Warren (R-Rowan) would expand electric vehicle charging opportunities in North Carolina. This bill would allow fees for charging based on electricity consumed. Co-sponsors listed here.
Next week at the General Assembly, legislators will continue to meet in appropriations subcommittees to design pieces of the budge. They may take up the bills described above in committees as well.