State Representative Court Boyce and State Senator David Brock Smith gave a joint legislative update at the Dec. 16 Curry County Board of Commissioners meeting, outlining recent appropriations, bills they sponsored, and priorities for rural coastal districts.

Representative Boyce (State Rep., District 1) listed several local appropriations and projects his office worked on, including roughly $850,000 for Winston, $1,400,000 for Rock Creek hatchery work, and work on local fire‑district recognition. He described bills he is sponsoring or supporting, including a "born alive" adoption/process measure and a veterans 'crisis card' concept intended to help law enforcement connect veterans to advocates instead of incarceration.

Senator David Brock Smith (Senate District 1) emphasized work on major regional projects and committee assignments, noting a $35 million state allocation toward a third veterans home that would be paired with a federal match; state-level funding for port and dredging components tied to a broader Pacific Coast intermodal plan; and more than $500,000 in smaller appropriations such as $504,000 for a Sutherland Fire Department training tower. He said he is vice chair of the Senate Energy and Environment Committee and is working on wildfire preparedness and salmon‑habitat initiatives.

The board asked about the impact of a recent citizen referral to the Secretary of State seeking to block elements of a transportation package (including a payroll/tax component). Senator Brock Smith said petitioners gathered about 193,000 signatures and the Department of Revenue has stated it will not start collecting the payroll tax while the referral is being verified. He clarified the referral targets the public‑transit portion of the payroll tax and related fee increases, not the entire payroll tax structure.

Why it matters: The lawmakers described projects with direct local impact — hatchery support, hospital and veterans' facility funding, port upgrades and road/rail infrastructure — and discussed how statewide decisions on taxes and transportation packaging can affect county services and budgets.

What they said: Representative Boyce opened by introducing his district and priorities: "For the record, my name is Court Boyce, state representative District 1." Senator Brock Smith introduced himself as well: "For your record, I'm state senator David Brock Smith." Senator Brock Smith summarized ongoing efforts to secure federal and state appropriations for the coast and to coordinate wildfire and disaster preparedness at a multi‑state level.

Next steps: Both lawmakers encouraged county staff and commissioners to offer data and testimony to back county funding requests (for example, courthouse renovation funding) and to participate in follow‑up meetings and testimony this legislative session.