2014 Bad Bill Of The Year Winner | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: This post, by Civitas Staff, was originally published in the Bad Bill of the Week section(s) of Civitas's online edition.

    In 2014, the Civitas Institute selected 10 Bad Bills of the Week. Last week, you had your chance to vote from these ten for the Bad Bill of the Year, and the winner is:

    HB 1192, Return to Five Year Vesting.

    This bill would shorten the number of years required for state employees to become eligible for pension benefits, thus increasing the liability of taxpayers to support these retirees. To read more about the Bad Bill of the Year, click here.

    Civitas thanks all of you who voted in this year's tournament!

    Here are the ten Bad Bills of the Week for 2014, click on the red box to learn more about the bill.

House Bill 1192, Return to Five Year Vesting (WINNER)

Shortens the number of years required for state employees to become eligible for pension benefits, thus increasing the liability of taxpayers to support these retirees.

House Bill 1210, Rescind Income Tax Cut for Millionaires

Brings back a top tax rate of 7.75 percent for married couples earning more than $1 million per year, or single filers earning more than $600,000. Reinstating a top rate of 7.75 percent on the state's personal income tax would once again give North Carolina the highest top income tax rate in the Southeast, and one of the highest in the nation. Why do these legislators want to go back to the failed policies of the past?

Senate Bill 862, Wayne Regional Research & Education Agricultural Center Funds

Appropriates $3 million in state taxpayer funds for a local facility, meeting the classic definition of pork. In a case of politicians wanting to "bring home the bacon," this bill would direct state taxpayer dollars to help pay for the design and construction of a "proposed 60,000-square-foot 'Green Facility'" in Wayne Co., that is estimated to cost more than $11 million.

House Bill 1239, An Act to Restore the Full Voting Period

Aims to add seven days to the one-stop early voting period for elections in even-numbered years, in an attempt to roll back election law reforms enacted last year.

Senate Bill 855, No Employer Discrimination for Reproductive Health Decisions

Prohibits employer discrimination "on the basis of the applicant's or the employee's reproductive health decision making." Setting aside the enforcement issues of this bill, and the highly sensitive nature of the issues brought into consideration, this bill forces individuals to associate with one another in a way they may not want to. And freedom of association is one of our most important rights.

HB 1075 Repeal Opportunity Scholarships

Repeals the opportunity scholarship program enacted by the legislature last session. The highly popular grant program provides up to $4,200 per year to eligible students to attend the school of their choice. Scholarships would be targeted to lower income families, who may otherwise not be able to afford private school tuition.

SJR 838, HJR 1068 Joint Resolution to increase the state's minimum wage

A minimum wage law, in essence, outlaws employment. If two parties voluntarily agree to trade money for labor, they should be free from government interference to determine at what rate this exchange should take place. Limiting opportunities for exchange does not make people better off.

Senate Bill 730, Medicaid Expansion

Expands the eligibility guidelines for North Carolina's Medicaid program to 133% of federal poverty guidelines, as laid out in Obamacare.

House Bill 1142 Modify Film/Historic Rehab Tax Credits

Extends targeted tax credits to the film industry – set to expire at the end of this year – indefinitely. Such political favoritism is crony capitalism at its worst.

Senate Bill 783, Establish Chiropractor Co-Pay Parity

Requires that insurance plans in North Carolina establish co-pays for chiropractors no higher than co-pays for seeing a regular doctor. Chiropractors have a lot to gain through a government mandate that their services become far cheaper for their customers.