The Sun never shined on a cause of greater worth.
-Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776

Independence Day

This Saturday, marks the 233rd Anniversary of America’s independence.
Representative Roger West and I will be attending the celebration the Veterans Celebration in Robbinsville and we will be presenting them a North Carolina flag for the Courthouse.
And as we celebrate the Fourth of July this weekend, I hope that amid the fireworks and parades we all take the time to reflect on the reasons for the celebration: the liberties and ideals that sparked the birth of our country and that make America such a special place to live today. This weekend is the perfect time to appropriately honor our nation’s founders and all those who have fought for America and the values we all hold dear.
In one of his final letters to the American people, Thomas Jefferson, when reflecting on July 4th wrote: “These are grounds of hope for others; for ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them." – June 14, 1826
I hope you and your family have a happy and safe Fourth of July.
Budget
The first of July marked the beginning of the new fiscal year. We still do not have a budget and negotiations are continuing with the House. In the meantime, we passed a Continuing Resolution this week to allow the functions of State government to continue. The Continuing Resolution will fund government at 85% of the current spending levels.
Newly Enacted Legislation
The start of the fiscal year is also the first date in which laws passed this year can go into effect. Below is a list and explanation of some of the laws that went into effect on July 1.
Biodiesel – Governor Perdue signed Senate Bill 457, into law on June 30 and it went into effect on July 1. It ties together a packet of biofuel legislation I began work on during the 2006-07 legislative term. In an effort to help reduce the amount of foreign oil used by the State of North Carolina, during the 06-07 term, I introduced a wide range of bills focused at increasing the usage of biodiesel used by the State. One of those bills that is now law, Senate Bill 1272, exempted people who produce their biodiesel or similar products (straight vegetable oil, waste vegetable oil, etc.) for personal use from having to pay the motor fuel tax.
Not only is biodiesel a domestically produced, renewable fuel that reduces our reliance on foreign oil, it is also cleaner burning. A study by New York University School of Medicine found that the exhaust from diesel exhaust was a major contributor high rate of asthma symptoms among school-aged children. One of the largest contributors to diesel exhaust exposure to school-aged children is school buses. That is why, during the last term, I introduced Senate Bill 1452. Now law, Senate Bill 1452 requires the Department of Education to begin using B-20 in school buses.
Senate Bill 1277, required all new and used vehicles purchased by the state that operate on diesel have a manufacturer’s warranty to run on biodiesel. This assures the State that it can purchase and use biodiesel without running the risk of voiding any warranties.
The final piece of legislation, Senate Bill 457 (mentioned above) was finally passed and is now law. Senate Bill 457 statutorily establishes the industry standard definition of biodiesel in law. This makes sure that all biodiesel purchased and used by the State (and if in the future any tax credits are issued for biodiesel production) is actually biodiesel. It is a necessary protection for the state and consumers of biodiesel.
Active Duty Military Hunting Exemption – Another law that recently went into effect, House Bill 97, provides an exemption for residents of North Carolina who are active duty or reserve military personnel serving out-of-state who are at home or on leave for less than 30 days from having to purchase a hunting or fishing license. This is a small token of appreciation toward North Carolinians who are protecting our Country.
E-Verify Legislation
This coming Tuesday, Senate Bill 32, Employers Must Use E-Verify Program, will be heard in Senate Commerce. E-Verify is a free program that employers can utilize to certify that employees are legally authorized to work in the United States. Right now, employers can voluntarily use the E-Verify system.
Illegal immigration is an important issue, particularly now, as North Carolina has an 11.1% unemployment rate. Already, North Carolina requires all state agencies and private companies that contract with the State verify the employment status of employees. Senate Bill 32 will extend this requirement to local governments and all private companies in the State. E-Verify, when utilized, will help make illegal immigration a self-rectifying problem. If enacted, employers that continue to hire people who are not legally eligible to work in the United States will be subject to penalties and repeat offenders could lose their business license.