Civitas Action

This bill allows for voters to register to vote and cast ballots at one-stop voting locations during early voting periods through the Friday before election day without requiring a government issued identification as proof of identity. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose the possibility of voting fraud by not requiring proof of identification when voting.

Roll Call Vote #100 (68-45)
3/28/2007

Amendment 1 to HB 91 required a person registering to vote and casting a ballot during early voting to provide a government-issued photo ID. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support efforts to combat voter fraud by requiring government issued identifications be presented when voting.

Roll Call Vote #98 (51-62)
3/28/2007

This bill would ban smoking in any private building accessible to the public, including restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Supporters of the bill argued the ban was necessary to protect the public from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Opponents contended that individual property owners should be able to decide whether to allow smoking or not on their premises. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose efforts to restrict the property rights of private citizens engaged in private business.

Roll Call Vote #321 (55-61)
5/2/2007

Amendment 2 to HB 265 would change the funding mechanism of the high-risk pool. As written, HB 265 would fund the high-risk pool by adding a tax of up to $2 per policy per month ($24/year) on most individuals and small businesses purchasing health insurance. Amendment 2 would eliminate this tax and have the high-risk pool funded out of the existing General Fund. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose tax increases.

Roll Call Vote #283 (50-63)
4/30/2007

This bill would instruct the Supreme Court, when considering capital punishment appeal cases, to also consider factually similar cases where life imprisonment was imposed. Current law instructs the Supreme Court to evaluate whether similar crimes and circumstances yielded capital punishment. Supporters argued that this would give another level of review on capital punishment to ensure it is applied fairly. Opponents were concerned about hampering the administration of capital punishment and with separation of powers issues where the legislature would be instructing the Supreme Court how to conduct its business. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support the right of juries to determine the sentence of convicted murderers.

Roll Call Vote #614 (65-52)
5/23/2007

This bill allows law enforcement officers to take a photograph of a person cited for a moving violation who does not have a valid driver's license if the law enforcement officer has reasonable question as to the veracity of the person's identity. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support proper identification of all people committing crimes in North Carolina.

Roll Call Vote #351 (108-8)
5/8/2007

This bill allows the Town of Chapel Hill to publicly finance political campaigns for town offices including Town Council and Mayor. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose the use of taxpayer dollars for political campaigns.

Roll Call Vote #573 (65-51)
5/23/2007

This bill creates a new state medical form for end-of-life choices, revises health care power of attorney language to favor a choice of death over life, and gives greater input over the end-of-life decision to physicians. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support a patient's right to retain decision making that affect life and death.

Roll Call Vote #1217 (68-48)
7/30/2007

This bill would increase the fee for registration for the examination to become a landscape contractor from $50 to $75. It would also increase fees for late filings and for duplicate certificates. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose increasing barriers to enter an industry and increasing fees that raise revenue for the government.

Roll Call Vote #79 (100-15)
3/27/2007

This bill would prohibit the use of corporal punishment as an option for school administrators to use to discipline students. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support the rights local communities or school boards to determine their discipline policy.

Roll Call Vote #615 (50-66)
5/23/2007

HB 878 would authorize a Constitutional Amendment restricting the use of eminent domain solely for public use and not for economic development purposes. As it is a Constitutional Amendment, this bill would authorize a statewide referendum on the proposal. Civitas believes the conservative position supports protecting the rights of private property owners.

Roll Call Vote #648 (104-15)
5/24/2007

This bill would mandate that nine specific mental health disorders be covered under all health insurance plans offered in North Carolina. It is estimated that mandating this coverage will increase the cost of health insurance between five and eight percent. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose mandates which increase the cost of health insurance coverage.

Roll Call Vote #606 (116-1)
5/23/2007

Amendment 1 to HB 973 would exempt employers with less than 25 employees from the mental health coverage requirements. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support efforts to make health insurance more affordable.

Roll Call Vote #605 (60-56)
5/23/2007

This bill would require that if a person is denied a pistol permit, that person's name is reported to the State Bureau of Investigation to keep in a database accessible by law enforcement. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose efforts to deny citizens from their 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

Roll Call Vote #318 (81-34)
5/2/2007

This bill would grant additional ground for appeal of a capital sentence on the basis that race was unduly applied in the sentencing. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support the right of juries to determine the sentence of convicted murderers.

Roll Call Vote #651 (68-51)
5/24/2007

This bill would define bullying and harassing behavior in public schools as "acts reasonably perceived as being motivated by an actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, or sensory disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics." The bill would be the first in North Carolina to grant legal status and protection for sexual orientation as a protected class. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support treating all people equally without creating protected classes.

Roll Call Vote #654 (73-46)
5/24/2007

Amendment 1 to HB 1366 would remove language that creates a definition of bullying by defining specific characteristics of people who could be bullied, including for the first time in North Carolina law, providing sexual orientation as a protected class under the law. Supporters of the Amendment argued that bullying is wrong to anyone at anytime, not just to those defined under the law. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support treating all people equally without creating protected classes.

Roll Call Vote #609 (58-59)
5/23/2007

Amendment 7 to HB 1473 (2007 Appropriations Act) would have increased the number of charter schools authorized by the State of North Carolina from 100 to 125. Speaker of the House Joe Hackney ruled the Amendment out of order, thus requiring two-thirds of the members to vote to suspend the rules to consider the Amendment on the floor of the House. A "Yes" vote was in favor of suspending the rules to allow consideration of Amendment 7. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support increasing educational opportunities available to parents.

Roll Call Vote #389 (50-65)
5/10/2007

Amendment 24 to HB 1473 (2007 Appropriations Act) would require that individuals applying for health insurance benefits under the newly created NC Kids Care program or for a scholarship under the EARN Scholarships program be legal residents of the United States in order to qualify. A "Yes" vote favors the amendment. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose efforts to provide government benefits to illegal aliens.

Roll Call Vote #409 (70-45)
5/10/2007

This is the House version of the FY2007-2009 expansion budget bill that increases spending by nearly 10 percent; makes permanent the ¼ cent temporary sales tax increase; implements an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC); allows the cap on the gas tax to expire, thereby increasing gas taxes by roughly 3.5 cents per gallon; and authorizes $449 million in new non-voter approved debt. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose increasing state budgets beyond the rate of population growth plus inflation and to oppose new taxes and new non-voter approved debt.

Roll Call Vote #410 (68-51)
5/10/2007

This is the final conference report for the FY2007-2009 expansion budget bill that increases spending by 9.5 percent, makes permanent the ¼ cent temporary sales tax increase and implements an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). It also shifts ½ cent of the 2 ½ cents local sales tax from the counties to the state in exchange for the state taking over the entire burden of Medicaid funding - giving counties the option of imposing a ½ cent sales tax or a 0.4 percent land transfer tax. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose increasing state budgets beyond the rate of population growth plus inflation and to oppose new taxes and new non-voter approved debt.

Roll Call Vote #1146 (65-53)
7/28/2007

This bill creates a pilot program that allows candidates for State Auditor, Commissioner of Insurance and Superintendent of Public Schools to have taxpayers finance their campaigns for elected office should they meet minimum requirements, agree to spending limits, and forgo traditional campaign financing techniques. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose the use of taxpayer dollars for political campaigns.

Roll Call Vote #1151 (59-57)
7/28/2007

This bill requires that elected officials of the state disclose any money collected for the purpose of funding a legal action against them related to their official capacity. The reporting would be similar to what is filed for campaign finance requirements. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support increasing disclosure of donations to politicians.

Roll Call Vote #603 (116-0)
5/23/2007

This is the original "Goodyear" bill that granted $40 million in cash to Goodyear Tire and Rubber, Inc. to maintain and invest $200 million in upgrading its tire production facility in Fayetteville. This bill was later vetoed by the Governor. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose corporate welfare programs that create inequity in how taxes are levied.

Roll Call Vote #1400 (98-11)
8/2/2007

This bill further expanded the public financing of statewide judicial candidates by including a provision for "matching" funds for a candidate should there be any independent expenditures made by outside groups against the candidate. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose efforts that restrict 1st Amendment free speech rights and the use of taxpayer dollars for political campaigns.

Roll Call Vote #1245 (60-54)
7/31/2007

This bill would allow state-funded research of human embryonic stem cells. It further authorizes the Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission to use available funds to provide grants to nonprofit organizations conducting stem cell research. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose taxpayer funded research into unproven sciences and that the private sector can best direct health care research funds.

Roll Call Vote #1152 (60-55)
7/28/2007

Amendment 2 would restrict the use of state funding of stem cell research to non-embryonic stem cells. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose taxpayer funded research into unproven sciences and that the private sector can best direct health care research funds.

Roll Call Vote #1133 (45-62)
7/27/2008

This bill would make it a misdemeanor to not report that a gun had been lost or stolen within 48 hours of discovering it missing. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose efforts to deny citizens from their 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms by criminalizing ordinary occurances.

Roll Call Vote #553 (41-77)
5/22/2007

Unable to pass a budget by the July 1 beginning of a new fiscal year, the General Assembly passed what is commonly referred to as a "continuing resolution" that maintains tax and spending programs at their current levels until a new budget can be adopted. By continuing the previous budget, legislators reenacted the "temporary" ¼-cent sales tax increase that was scheduled to expire July 1, 2007. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose tax increases.

Roll Call Vote #835 (66-51)
6/27/2007

This bill mandates that by 2021, 12.5 percent of all electricity used in North Carolina be produced from renewable resources. It would also allow utility companies to apply for rate increases to cover the cost of manufacturing and constructing power plants before the plant ever comes online. In addition, it allows up to $34 per year increases per account for each residential customer to comply with the requirement. It more or less allows for all costs for renewable generation, of which the total is unknown, to be passed along to the consumer. It is also unknown what the additional cost to state and local government may be as the State of North Carolina is the largest power consumer in the state. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose expensive new regulations that have limited benefits.

Roll Call Vote #1233 (107-9)
7/31/2007

This bill requires local law enforcement to attempt to determine the legal status of anyone arrested for a felony or DWI. If they are unable to determine whether the person is a legal resident or citizen of the United States, they are to make an inquiry to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and that query will be considered notification to ICE that that person is in custody. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support the proper identification of all people who commit crimes in North Carolina.

Roll Call Vote #1322 (109-1)
8/1/2007

This bill states that any elected official convicted of a felony in conjunction with their office will be stripped of their government pension. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support stiffer penalties on elected officials who are corrupt.

Roll Call Vote #798 (107-0)
6/21/2007

This bill would require that any person arrested for DWI or driving with a revoked license that cannot be identified by a valid form of identification be photographed and/or fingerprinted. Civitas believes the conservative position supports proper identification of all people arrested for a crime in North Carolina.

Roll Call Vote #1192 (105-5)
7/28/2007

This bill increases the registration fee for applicants for certification as a real estate appraiser from $150 to $200 and increases the fees private accreditation programs must pay to the state for oversight from $40 to $100. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose increasing barriers to entry in an industry and increasing fees that raise revenue for the government.

Roll Call Vote #1334 (107-7)
8/1/2007

This bill would impose a moratorium on the construction of new landfills in North Carolina and would require that any local government entity wishing to construct a new landfill seek state approval before doing so. It would also create a new $2 per ton tax on the disposal of refuse. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose new taxes and regulation.

Roll Call Vote #1349 (71-44)
8/1/2007

This bill is a revised version of HB 1761 which was passed by the General Assembly but vetoed by Governor Easley. The revised bill increases the amount of money to be given away in cash to $60 million and increases the number of companies eligible for the grant to five, though only two actually qualify. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose corporate welfare programs that create inequity in how taxes are levied.

Roll Call Vote #1428 (61-44)
9/11/2007

This Amendment would require that an employer must verify the legal status of all current and future employees before receiving funds from the Job Maintenance and Capital Development Fund. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support efforts to verify the legal status of all workers in North Carolina.

Roll Call Vote #1427 (49-56)
9/11/2007

This bill establishes that all companies wanting to engage in installation of irrigation systems must be licensed by the state and pay a fee of up to $250. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose fees that raise revenue for the government and increase barriers to entry in an industry.

Roll Call Vote #1598 (83-32)
6/24/2008

This bill adopts a moratorium on involuntary annexations until May 31, 2009. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support the rights of property owners to have a voice in whether to be annexed.

Roll Call Vote #1683 (98-18)
7/2/2008

This bill is the passage of the House version of the adjustments to the 2008-2009 budget. It would increase the EITC, expand socialized health care for children, slash transportation funding by $65.6 million, and authorize in excess of $500 million in new debt without voter approval. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose expansions of wealth redistribution schemes and authorizing state debt without voter approval.

Roll Call Vote #1456 (103-12)
6/4/2008

This amendment to the budget would remove the $1,000,000 earmark for Johnson & Wales, a private culinary arts school in Charlotte. The state handout to Johnson & Wales was originally inserted by disgraced former House Speaker Jim Black. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose corporate welfare programs.

Roll Call Vote #1459 (42-73)
6/5/2008

This bill would amend the budget to have all $542.9 million in new debt be issued and approved by the voters under general obligation bonds rather than through non-voter approved Certificates of Participation (COPs). Civitas believes the conservative position is to allow voters to approve new debt issued in North Carolina, in accordance with the State Constitution.

Roll Call Vote #1461 (42-72)
6/5/2008

This bill delays implementation of needed tax cuts, slashes transportation spending by $65.6 million and authorizes $872 million in new debt without voter approval. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose expansions of wealth redistribution schemes and authorizing state debt without voter approval.

Roll Call Vote #1703 (97-21)
7/7/2008

A1 amends the bill to reduce state spending by 1% across the board to shore up the State Health Plan rather than raid the Savings and Reserve Account by $100 million. Civitas believes the conservative position is to support efforts to eliminate wasteful spending in government and to balance the budget as required by the state Constitution.

Roll Call Vote #1914 (48-62)
7/17/2008

This bill enacts new drought/water management policy for the State giving the Governor the authority to set water restrictions. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose efforts that restrict the rights of property owners and increase regulatory authority.

Roll Call Vote #1926 (68-36)
7/18/2008

This bill would sunset the provision allowing the Governor to have unilateral control of setting water restrictions on March 31, 2009 and would then require it to be reauthorized by the General Assembly. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose efforts to increase regulatory authority without limitation.

Roll Call Vote #1838 (44-68)
7/15/2008

This bill would limit individual contributions to candidates for elected office in Carrboro to $250 per person. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose efforts that restrict 1st Amendment free speech rights. Roll Call Vote #1798 (72-35) 7/14/2008

Roll Call Vote #1798 (72-35)
7/14/2008

This bill makes various amendments to election laws, including extending the pilot for instant run-off voting (IRV) and changes Political Action Committee (PAC) regulations to increase the amount of special-interest influence in elections. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose efforts to allow more outside money into elections without making the same laws apply to candidate committees.

Roll Call Vote #1793 (96-15)
7/10/2008

This bill reduces the Auditor's oversight to investigate General Assembly complaints. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose efforts to reduce transparency and oversight in government.

Roll Call Vote #1818 (87-25)
7/14/2008

This bill increases the amount of money available under Job Development Investment Grants (JDIG) in 2008 from $15 million to $25 million and will have a total cost of $126 million over the next twelve years. Civitas believes the conservative position is to oppose corporate welfare programs that create inequity in how taxes are levied.

Roll Call Vote #1867 (94-19)
7/16/2008