Local Representatives Busy in the Statehouse

By Nelda Holder

The North Carolina General Assembly has several work-weeks under its belt now, and as the budget wrangling begins, it’s a good moment to assess what the back-home legislators have been up to so far.

A review of the records of Buncombe County’s three Democratic Representatives—veteran Susan Fisher and her two freshman partners John Ager and Brian Turner—and Hendersonville neighbor Chuck McGrady, a Republican, shows that nobody is dragging their feet this session.

Fisher, a 12-year veteran of the NC House, carries an extra load as the deputy Democratic Leader for the 2015-16 session. She is also vice-chairman of two committees, Alcoholic Beverage Control, and Appropriations—General Government, and a member of several others. She has been the primary sponsor of four bills thus far, one of which would disapprove a rule adopted by the Mining and Energy Commission to manage oil and gas exploration in the state. The current rule involves setback distances from homes and water sources, and also environmental testing and the disposal of fracking wastewater. The bill sponsors want the standards strengthened.

And as the sole woman Representative from Buncombe County, Fisher’s name is perhaps understandably in primary sponsorship position for legislation (HB 166) to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). North Carolina is one of 15 states that have failed to pass the U.S. Constitutional Amendment sent to the states for approval in 1972. Although 35 voted approval in the first five years, the required three-fourths (38) was not reached by the June 30, 1982, deadline.

A new movement began in 1995 to seek approval by three more states. To date, the Illinois House and the Virginia Senate have passed the amendment, which awaits approval of their counterparts. The amendment has also been introduced in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, and Oklahoma, according to the ERA website (equalrightsamendment.org). Ager and Turner are co-sponsors of the House bill.

Fisher is also primary sponsor on another bill connected to national issues—House Joint Resolution 125, which requests that Congress propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution overturning the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case involving corporate campaign spending. Another WNC representative, Joe Sam Queen (D-Haywood/Jackson/Swain) joined her as primary sponsor. Ager and Turner are co-sponsors.

Fisher was also joined by Ager and Turner as primary sponsors for a bill to approve a special Riverlink license plate (HB 80), to be available in support of the Asheville nonprofit Riverlink, which works for the economic and environmental revitalization of the French Broad River. Hendersonville’s McGrady signed on as co-sponsor for the bill.

McGrady, who has served six years in the House, currently chairs the House Appropriations Committee and is vice-chair of both the Environment and Ethics committees. He also serves on a number of other standing and non-standing committees, several linked to the environment. (McGrady is a former national president of the Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy organization.)

He is a primary sponsor of nine bills so far in the House. They include an eminent domain bill (HB 3) introduced early in the session carrying a host of co-sponsors, including Buncombe County’s Ager and Turner as well as Burnsville’s Michele Presnell (R-Haywood/Madison/Yancey). The bill would prohibit the taking of private property except for a public use.

McGrady is a primary sponsor for HB 56, which would allow retirees to return to work for the state under specific circumstances (co-sponsors include Fisher and Turner); HB 92, in support of a nonpartisan redistricting commission in the state (all three Buncombe representatives are co-sponsors); HB 134, which would provide immunity from prosecution for minors involved in solicitation of prostitution (the minor would instead be placed in temporary protective custody as an undisciplined juvenile, with a pursuant investigation as to child abuse or neglect). Fisher is a co-sponsor of the latter bill.

Other primary sponsorships include HB 159, a bill to regulate commercial dog breeders, cosponsored by all three Buncombe County Representatives, that is designed to prevent the sale or use of stolen pets and ensure that animals, as “items of commerce,” are provided humane care and treatment. “Commercial breeder” is a term that means any person who owns, maintains, or has custody of 11 or more female dogs over the age of six months—primarily used for purposes of breeding and selling the offspring. If passed, the bill would have the Department of Public Safety establish standards of care for such operations.

McGrady, as appropriations chair, is also the primary sponsor of HB 97 and HB 101, 2015 appropriations bills.

Aside from the Riverlink license plate bill, Ager and Turner are not currently primary sponsors of any bills, but to date, Ager has signed on as co-sponsor of 16 bills, and Turner’s name is on 29 as co-sponsor. McGrady is a co-sponsor on 10 bills; Fisher on 30.

Next month: the local senators.