North Carolina House Concurred with Senate on Three Bills, Declines Concurrence on School Election Measure

Roughly halfway through its session, the North Carolina House voted to concur with Senate committee substitutes on three bills and declined to concur on a fourth.

Representative Pirtle moved that the House concur with the Senate committee substitute to House Bill 17, which he described as making various local election changes in municipalities including Madison, Faith and China Grove, "simply changing their mayor's term from 2 to 4 years" and shifting some municipal elections from odd to even years. The House concurred with the substitute on HB17 by recorded vote, 109 yes and 2 no; the bill will be enrolled.

Separately, Representative b Jones moved that the House not concur with the Senate committee substitute to House Bill 116, citing "a few little technical corrections that need to be made." The motion to not concur carried by recorded vote, 108 in favor of not concurring and 4 opposed; the Senate will be notified.

On retirement benefits, Representative Smith asked members to concur with the Senate committee substitute to House Bill 477, noting the bill had previously passed the House and that "Part 6 was removed" and would be addressed later. The House concurred by recorded vote, 113 yes and none in the negative; HB477 will be enrolled and sent to the governor.

Representative Ross summarized changes in the Senate substitute to House Bill 506, the 2025 State Investment Modernization Act, saying the substitute added a requirement that the governor's and state treasurer's appointments to the new investment authority "be subject to confirmation by the General Assembly," removed language that would have allowed the treasurer unilateral authority to determine prospective board members' experience and added removal authority for appointing officials for malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance. The House concurred with the substitute by recorded vote, 113 yes and none opposed; HB506 will be enrolled and sent to the governor.

Several members asked to have their votes recorded or changed on the floor during proceedings: Representative Turner asked to change his recorded vote on HB17; Representatives Shepherd, Pierce, McGee and Coffman were noted as voting "aye" on HB116 in the clerk's entries.

The session included ceremonial recognitions: Representative Jones presented an award from the Office of the State Fire Marshal to Representative Art for "extraordinary courage, bravery and selfless action," and the chair recognized State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor, Brian Heath (director of legal affairs), Chief Deputy Rod Rob Regner and Heather Regner (executive assistant) in the gallery.

The House adjourned after a motion by Representative Jones, seconded by Representative Dixon, to reconvene Wednesday, June 4 at 9 a.m., subject to rule 15.1.