Newsletter June 25 2010
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The document provides a legislative update from Ruth Samuelson on issues in the North Carolina legislature over the past two weeks. It summarizes that the legislature has not yet passed a budget or ethics reform legislation. For the budget, the major outstanding issues are funding cuts for education and a potential $480 million shortfall. For ethics reform, partisanship stalled progress. Internet sweepstakes banning is also still being debated, with arguments made on both sides.
Newsletter June 25 2010
- 1. Capitol Commentary 418B Legislative Office Building Raleigh, NC 27603-5925 (919) 715-3009 ruths@ncleg.net June 25, 2010 Legislative Update Raleigh, NC Capitol Commentary from Ruth Samuelson There is more to report to you this newsletter regarding what hasnt happened in Raleigh during the past two weeks than what has. Budget We havent passed a budget, and most of us havent heard a lot about what progress is being made by the House and Senate budget leaders working on the compromise plan. There are two major issues to be resolved: whether education funding cuts will be borne primarily by K-12 schools or by the Universities, and how we would plug a $480 million shortfall that would result if Congress fails to grant the state extra Medicaid money as part of the federal stimulus package. While budget leaders have shared few details about their work, some have said that they hope well have a budget passed before the start of the fiscal year -- next Thursday. So we could see some budget action early next week. Ethics Reform (aka, Election Year Politics 101) We havent passed an ethics reform bill. Unfortunately, that issue became mired in partisan politics this week. Senate majority members inserted into an already weak ethics bill a clause that would have expanded taxpayer-financed political campaigns. This was clearly an attempt by the majority members to force Senate Republicans who dont support taxpayer-financed campaigns to vote against a bill, titled the Government Ethics and Campaign Reform Act, which they would otherwise support. Fortunately, the uproar that ensued prompted Senate majority members to change course. The incident serves as a nice reminder to us all that just because the title of a bill sounds good, that doesnt mean it should be supported. (In other words, you cant judge a book or a bill by its title!) Internet Sweepstakes
- 2. We havent passed a law banning video sweepstakes -- at least not yet. Senate passage of a ban on the games prompted sweepstakes supporters to mobilize to convince House members that the games should instead be legalized and taxed. Sweepstakes opponents call the industry a scourge that preys on the poor and uneducated. Yet proponents counter that it is creating jobs during a time of high unemployment, and that its hypocritical to ban the games on moral grounds when the state runs its own lottery. (Rumors also suggest that state lottery leaders want private video sweepstakes games banned so that they can introduce their own state sponsored version next session.) Its an interesting debate, and Id love to hear your thoughts on it. So if you have any comments on the proposed video sweepstakes ban (or anything else that is or isnt happening in Raleigh), please contact me at my legislative office at (919) 715-3009 or by email at ruths@ncleg.net or samuelsonla@ncleg.net. Please enjoy a fun and safe celebration of our nations birthday next weekend, July 4th! We are blessed to live in a country that allows free expression and governance of, by and for the people, even with all our flaws! Best wishes, Ruth Rep. Ruth Samuelson District 104, Mecklenburg County