Gavel falls on the "short" session | Eastern North Carolina Now

    The North Carolina House of Representatives adjourned on Tuesday, ending a two-year session that saw Republicans in a majority for only the second time in more than a century. After inheriting a multi-billion dollar budget deficit and a job-starved economy, House Republicans took positive steps to balance the state budget, reduce taxes and regulations, and make North Carolina more business-friendly.

    "Today, we concluded a historic session that saw our House majority work across the aisle to accomplish what many thought impossible," said House Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg). "We overrode eleven gubernatorial vetoes, worked to make our state more conducive for job creation, and took bold action toward long-term solutions for North Carolina's critical problems."

    Republicans in the House highlight two bipartisan votes on the state budget as the crowning achievement of their first term in the majority. Despite vetoes from Gov. Perdue in both years, the House budget garnered enough bipartisan support to override the veto in 2011 and 2012. "We reversed a decades-long trend of increasing spending and raising taxes," Tillis said. "With Democrat support, we passed a responsible two-year budget that cut taxes and reduced spending. We are already seeing positive effects from that action."

    In addition to the budget, the House passed several landmark reforms on issues that had gone without action for years: regulation, worker's compensation, medical malpractice, and annexation. The House also helped provide solvency to the State Health Plan and took steps to address severe problems in Medicaid. Republicans oversaw an efficient and effective redistricting process, drawing fair and legal districts that have been pre-cleared by the Department of Justice.
Bill Cook: Above.     photo by Stan Deatherage
    While balancing budgets, cutting taxes, and reducing regulation, House Republicans took specific steps toward job creation. Just this week, an eleventh veto override measure passed the House to establish the framework for hydraulic fracturing, which could bring thousands of new jobs to the state. Millions of dollars were appropriated for job training and re-training through the community college system.

    "This session was successful because we worked across the aisle, we listened to our constituents, and we kept our promises to the voters," Tillis said. "We'll continue to do so in the months to come, and I look forward to reconvening the House in January to build on the progress we have made during our first two years."