This week at the N.C. General Assembly, the state budget impasse continued into its sixth week with no end in sight. House Speaker Tim Moore pledged to continue to try to win enough votes to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of the budget. And the House and Senate moved numerous bills including one that the Sierra Club opposes.
'Billboard protection act' passed and sent to governor
On Wednesday, the House voted 60-54 to concur with the Senate’s changes to the billboard bill (House Bill 645). The bill would promote the interests of the billboard industry at the expense of trees, local government authority and scenic beauty.
If H 645 becomes law, you can expect to see more billboards where local governments don't want them, more digital billboards and more tree-cutting to increase the visibility of billboards.
Thank you for your advocacy against this bill! Your efforts had an impact. Wednesday’s vote was very close; it would take more than that to override a veto, if there is one. Check to see how your House representative voted here.
Please thank Reps. Chuck McGrady (R - Henderson) and Pricey Harrison (D - Guilford) who spoke up against the bill repeatedly. H 645 next goes to Governor Cooper for consideration. He may sign the bill into law, let it become law without his signature or veto it.
Coming up: House committee to consider giveaways to industrial agriculture
On Monday afternoon, the House Rules Committee is scheduled to consider the Farm Act (Senate Bill 315). If the committee approves the bill, it could be taken up by the House as soon as Monday evening. As a reminder, S 315 contains provisions that would make secret certain agricultural documents that are now public records and allow hog farms to change waste management systems without upgrading to environmentally superior technology, as they would now have to do.
Opportunity for Action
Please contact your House member and ask them to vote no on the Farm Act - S 315 - if it comes before them.