Legislative roundup for the week of May 13-16

Here is a look at some of the bills legislators voted on in Raleigh last week.

House vote:

SB605: Highway Storm Recovery Act — The House of Representatives passed this bill authorizing the transfer of $90 million from the state’s general fund to a newly-created Disaster Relief Cash Flow Loan Fund for the Department of Transportation. The bill stipulates that the DOT may only use the money for expenses related to disaster relief. The money will be repaid to the state savings reserve once federal reimbursement arrives. The bill passed the House on a 99-1 vote, with all area representatives voting in favor. The bill passed the Senate on April 29. Gov. Roy Cooper signed the bill into law on Thursday. Read the text of the bill here.

HB667: Local Option Sales Tax Flexibility — This bill would give counties more flexibility in exercising their optional sales tax increases. Currently, counties in our area have the option to increase sales tax by a quarter of a cent. Jones and Greene counties have done so, bringing their total sales tax rate to 7 percent. Lenoir County voters rejected a referendum to increase the rate, leaving Lenoir’s tax rate at 6.75 percent. The new legislation would allow counties to increase the rate by an additional quarter cent with voter approval. The overall rate would still be capped at 7.25 percent. The legislation would also allow counties to specify in the referendum that the tax increase would only be used for education. The bill passed on a 93-5 vote. It now goes to the Senate for consideration. Read the text of the bill here.

Senate Vote:

SB622: Tax Reduction Act of 2019 — The Senate passed this bill on a nearly party-line vote, with one Democrat joining Republicans in voting in favor. The bill increases the standard deduction — the amount of income the state does not tax — from $20,000 to $20,750 for married couples filing jointly; from $15,000 to $15,563 for a head of household; and from $10,000 to $10,375 for single filers. It also scales back franchise taxes that are imposed on every business in the state. The bill would also delay the expiration of historic rehabilitation tax credits. Sens. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir) and Harry Brown (R-Onslow) voted in favor of the bill; Sen. Don Davis (D-Greene) voted against it. It passed on a 26-19 vote, with one Democrat — Paul Lowe of Forsyth County — voting aye. It now goes to the House for consideration. Read the text of the bill here.

Check back with Neuse News later this week for more updates on the General Assembly.