House Tackles Multiple Issues as Crossover Deadline Nears | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal. The author of this post is CJ Staff.

    With the legislature's crossover deadline a little more than one week away, the N.C. House is tackling multiple bills during the session that reconvened this afternoon.

    State representatives have filed nearly 900 bills and resolutions this year. Many of those measures must win approval from the full House by May 13. Without meeting that deadline to "cross over" to the Senate, the bill will die for the rest of the two-year legislative session running through 2022.

    Among the items House members addressed during today's session:

• House Bill 755, approved 66-50, would increase transparency about instructional materials used in public schools.
• House Joint Resolution 233, approved 60-57 with no debate, would apply to Congress for a Convention of States to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The House later voted 62-55 to block a reconsideration of the initial vote.
• House Bill 398, approved 69-48, would repeal the state's pistol purchase permits. Unlike in past years, North Carolina's sheriffs are not trying to block the bill.
• House Bill 447, approved 98-19, would block hospitals from keeping clergy members away from patients during a time of emergency.
• House Bill 560, approved 89-27, would enact a range of state prison reforms.
• House Bill 644, approved 95-22, would authorize local school systems to set up remote academies.
• House Bill 657, approved 92-25, would require N.C. school units to set up threat assessment teams.
• House Bill 536, approved 117-0, would require law enforcement officers to intervene and report excessive use of force.
• House Bill 547, approved 117-0, would require N.C. law enforcement groups to use the National Decertification Index. It's designed to help screen out prospective law enforcement officers from other states with problematic records.
• House Bill 548, approved 117-0, would expand availability of information about law enforcement officers who have received a so-called "Giglio letter," which blocks them from testifying in court.
• House Bill 760, approved 117-0, would create a new Opportunity Gap Task Force.
• House Bill 278, approved 117-0, would end local Alcoholic Beverage Control board members' ability to participate in a retirement system for local government employees.
• House Bill 390, approved by voice vote, gives more local school calendar flexibility to western Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania counties.