Memorial Day
I hope each and every one of you has a great Memorial Day Weekend
and I encourage everyone to give a moment of their time to remember
those members of our Armed Forces who paid the ultimate sacrifices
for our freedoms and safety.
This Saturday, Representative Roger West and I will be in Hayesville
for the annual Memorial Day Weekend Parade and Ceremony. The parade
is at 11am and the ceremony will be at noon.
Domestic Violence
Sometimes it takes awhile to get a bill passed into law. Back in
the fall of 2006, Bonnie Woodring was murdered by her husband, John
Woodring, while she was seeking safety at a domestic violence shelter
in Jackson County. The murder of Ms. Woodring and the subsequent
lawsuit brought against the domestic violence shelter she was seeking
safety at encouraged me to introduce Senate Bill 83 back in 2007.
Senate Bill 83 passed the Senate; however, it did not pass the House.
I again reintroduced this legislation with the start of the current
legislative biennium in 2009. Senate Bill 140, which just passed
the House this week and returns to the Senate for a concurrence vote,
changes the laws as they pertain to domestic violence protective
orders and makes it a Class H felony for a person subject to an order
to enter or remain on the premises of a shelter where the protected
party is residing. While this change will not stop every individual
who is intent on causing harm to someone who is under a protective
order, it should serve as a strong deterrent.
The bill also extends limited immunity from civil liability to shelters
and their staffs to protect them from possible lawsuits, except in
the case of gross negligence, wanton conduct, or wrongdoing on the
part of the shelter or people associated with the shelter. Domestic
violence shelters serve a vital function in our communities. The
employees and volunteers at these shelters at placed in the unique
danger of providing assistance and protection to victims of domestic
violence. It is important that our laws reflect the needs of domestic
shelters.
Jobs
The most recent county unemployment rates were released this week.
The unemployment rate across the 50th Senate District decreased.
| County |
April 2010 |
March 2010 |
Change |
| Cherokee |
13.6% |
15.3% |
-1.7% |
| Clay |
10.4% |
11.6% |
-1.2% |
| Graham |
14.1% |
17.2% |
-3.1% |
| Haywood |
9.4% |
11.1% |
-1.7% |
| Jackson |
8.6% |
10.3% |
-1.7% |
| Macon |
10.3% |
12.2% |
-1.9% |
| Swain |
11.9% |
15.1% |
-3.2% |
| Transylvania |
8.9% |
10.3% |
-1.4% |
The Senate budget that passed last week included
many proposals to improve the business climate in North Carolina
for small
and mid-sized
businesses. This week, the Senate continued to work to attract
new jobs to the State. Senate Bill 1171, Keeping NC Competitive
Act,
which passed this week, improves the state’s ability
to recruit new businesses and create an estimated 1,500 jobs
and $2 billion
in investment. The measure will help seal the deal for two
computer data centers, an energy turbine manufacturer, and
a plant converting
wood pulp to paper that are close to relocating to our state.
Susie’s Law
Last summer, a pit bull-shepherd mix puppy was severely beaten,
set on fire, and left for dead in a Greensboro park. The person
who abused
the dog was sentenced to probation, the most allowed under
current state law. Susie’s Law changes the crime from a Class
I felony to a Class H felony, which could carry a 10 month prison
sentence.
Because of the way the rules are established in the House and
Senate, the likelihood a new bill to stiffen the penalties
for animal abuse
could be introduced and passed during the short session is
very slim. That is why I’ve offered up my bill, Senate
Bill 254, which has already passed the Senate, to be the vehicle
to get Susie’s
Law enacted this year. Senate Bill 254 passed the House unanimously
and will return to the Senate for a concurrence vote.
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