A bipartisan group of lawmakers overrode several of Governor Beverly Perdue’s job-killing vetoes during a quick special session last week, making it abundantly clear that we’re determined to create a better business environment and help put North Carolinians back to work.
Five of the bills Perdue vetoed became law last week, including important, long-overdue reforms that will make North Carolina’s private economy – the sector that will lead us out of the recession – ripe for job creation.
Regulatory Reform
One of the laws, passed with huge bipartisan support, overhauls the state’s regulatory environment to provide more certainty and clarity for the private businesses that must follow state rules. Bureaucrats have added or changed more than 15,000 regulations over the past decade. Many are unnecessary, outdated rules that strangle the creativity and productivity of the state’s job creators.
In our reforms, one small change to a seemingly innocuous regulation regarding the height of fences around swimming pools at hotels, apartments and other businesses, already has saved those industries millions of dollars.
The Regulatory Reform Act received unanimous votes in the Senate and widespread support in the House, but the governor vetoed the bill anyway, trying to appease the environmental lobby. Our override signals to businesses that we won’t stand for overregulation, especially as they fight to make ends meet and keep people employed.
Medical Malpractice
It’s been proven time and time again in other states with similar laws: medical malpractice reforms that reduce excessive frivolous lawsuits will attract loads of new medical jobs and expand access to care, especially for those in rural areas.
Under the current system, doctors must administer dozens of unnecessary tests and procedures to avoid lawsuits, and the expensive cost of that defensive medicine is passed on to taxpayers in the form of higher insurance rates and taxpayer-funded medical programs for the poor.
Our reforms, which will take effect Oct. 1, will persuade more doctors want to practice in North Carolina, where they’ll be able to see more patients and treat them more effectively.
ESC Jobs
Another law enacted this week reforms one of the most dysfunctional state government agencies – the Employment Security Commission. It’s an agency buried in debt to the federal government. Among other changes, the new law moves ESC to the Department of Commerce, where it will be better managed.
Fair, Legal and Competitive
The two most important responsibilities of the legislature this year were balancing the state budget and drawing fair, legal and competitive congressional and legislative districts that reflect the past decade’s population changes.
The budget became law in June, and we completed a historically transparent redistricting process last week. North Carolina’s elections will, for the foreseeable future, be more competitive than ever before.
Senator Phil Berger
President Pro Tempore
2008 Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
Phone: 919.733.5708
Fax: 919.754.3246
philbe@ncleg.net
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