Legislative Report

Report 09-03
Feb. 13, 2009

BILL DEADLINE SET, COMMITTEES APPOINTED

This week, the General Assembly continued with a series of briefings conducted by the staff of the Fiscal Research Division on budgetary topics that included the recent history of state expenditure growth and an overview of the state’s higher education system. The Senate and House also set deadlines for introduction of legislation and completed the appointment of members to standing committees.

The last dates for filing of bills in the 2009 Session are listed below.

	House	Senate
Local Bills	April 1	March 11
Public Bills (not appropriations or finance)	April 8	March 25
Appropriations Bills	May 6	March 25

Crossover Deadline: All bills not involving appropriations that are introduced in one chamber must be passed and crossed over to the other chamber no later than May 14.

The Senate finished committee appointments last week. The House completed committee assignments this week. The members of the pension committees are listed below.

Senate Committee on Pension, Retirement, & Aging

Sen. Tony Foriest, Chair
Sen. Linda Garrou, Vice Chair
Members: Sens. Albertson, Bingham, Atwater, Clodfelter, Dorsett, East, Jenkins, Malone, Nesbitt, Preston, Purcell, Queen, Stevens, Swindell.

House Committee on Pensions and Retirement

Rep. Russell Tucker, Chair
Reps. Bell, Folwell, Holloway, Hurley, McGee, Vice Chairmen
Other Members: Reps. Farmer-Butterfield, McLawhorn, Ross, Tolson

The membership of all Senate and House Committees can be found on the General Assembly web page (www.ncgleg.net).

BILLS OF INTEREST

Two bills of interest were filed this week. These are summarized below.

House Bill 94: Clarify Definition of Retirement
(Primary Sponsors: Reps. Owens and Insko)

This bill makes clear that service as an unpaid volunteer by retired teachers and state employees during the first six month following the date of retirement does not constitute a violation of the 6-month separation requirement. HB 94 has bee referred to the House Committee on Pensions and Retirement.

Senate Bill 133: Registers of Deeds’ Pensions
(Sponsor: Senator Rand)

The bill limits the amount of the monthly pension from the Registers of Deeds’ Supplemental Fund. The monthly pension from this fund, when added to the monthly retirement allowance from the Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, may not exceed 75% of the register’s equivalent annual salary immediately preceding retirement including any supplements to a maximum of $1,500 per month. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Pensions, Retirement, and Aging.