Dear Friends,
I hope that you have enjoyed the relief from the frigid temperatures we seemed to be stuck with over the last several weeks.
What a busy week it has been in Raleigh! The General Assembly was buzzing with activity and the bill drafting staff have been working hard to get our legislative priorities created. Many new bills were filed on the House and Senate side. The details of ones you may find interesting are revealed below. Of course, there will be many more to follow in the the coming weeks.
Several important committee meetings on hurricane recovery efforts were held this week. As the state still navigates how best to provide help to those who need it after dealing with Hurricane Helene, we also need to understand how to prioritize changes that should occur with disaster funding.
House Bill 11 was featured in a Press Release this week. A key feature of HB 11 would be to eliminate taxes on tips and overtime pay. This mirrors an initiative that President Trump mentioned on his campaign trail and could be very impactful for many in NC.
Local firefighters from Advance were called to action to help with Hurricane Helene in the immediate aftermath. They traveled to Mitchell County and Asheville to provide urgently needed assistance. These firefighters continued to go overboard with a donation rally on behalf of the storm's victims once they returned. I am so grateful for their willingness to act bravely on the job and generously from their hearts.
I am eager to continue the work this Session.
I truly believe success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.
Warm regards,
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Senator Steve Jarvis,
NC District 30
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International Holocaust Remembrance Day
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On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we take a moment to reflect and honor the memory of 6 million Jewish lives lost in one of history's darkest times. It is a time to remember all the stories of resilience and courage that emerged in the face of unimaginable hardship. Holocaust survivor and author Elie Weisel once asked, "Why do I pray? What a strange question. Why do I live? Why do I breathe?" Let his words inspire us to foster a world of understanding and peace, ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.
~Sen. Steve Jarvis
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We had a great night at the Executive Mansion with newly elected Gov. Josh Stein, racing legend 'The King' Richard Petty and legislative Members of the General Assembly with staff this week. Thank you to Rep. John Torbett for co-hosting this important event in the spirit of collaboration and tradition for the new biennium.
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Joint Governmental Operations: Hurricane Helene Recovery Committee Meeting
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Two hearings were held at the General Assembly on Thursday to discuss hurricane recovery efforts for long ago storms Matthew and Florence, as well as the more recent Helene that devastated North Carolina residents.
Pryor Gibson, the director of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency, gave testimony before the Hurricane Response and Recovery Subcommittee of the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations. The office of NCORR is requesting $217 million in more state funds for those two hurricane recovery efforts. The amount that was still needed was not revealed until November of 2024, which resulted in the former director stepping down. Legislative leaders learned of the financial urgency of NCORR's request only after drafting the first financial aid bills to deal with Hurricane Helene.
During the meeting, Rep. Brenden H. Jones, R-Columbus, said Gibson’s testimony Thursday was a “last chance to restore credibility.This is not our first committee meeting on your failures. It is our fourth,” Jones said. “After four hearings, we are still seeking the exact same [answers]. Former Director Hogshead told us on the record that NCORR could complete this for less than $265 million including the $80 million that NCORR had already received from the General Assembly.”
“We can clearly and directly say without question we can finish Eastern recovery, the 1,150 homes remaining, in a year if we get the funding that we need,” Gibson said. “Then we can reissue NTPs [notices to proceed] at a rate we can maintain our contractor infrastructure.” Gibson maintained he is 95% percent sure that all projects can be completed in 2025. “There’s no other disaster recovery agency in the history of the United States that has done better than NCORR in the last several months ….. If we can afford to, with state funds, to finish [these remaining homes], then please let us before we lose the infrastructure,” Gibson said.
For three hours, the focus was on director Gibson and NCORR's needs, which left minimal tiime for testimony from GROW NC, the program for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in the Western part of the state. Legislative leaders said another hearing will be scheduled in the coming weeks.
“I can’t tell you what to do, but I can certainly tell you things not to do,” chair Sen. Brent Jackson, R-Sampson, said as he swore in two GROW NC leaders. “We’re optimistic that GROW NC will put together a program for Western North Carolina that is both effective and efficient.” GROW NC’s purpose “is to provide consistent direction to every agency and entity that is spending state and federal dollars in recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene,” advisor Jonathan Krebs said.
“One of the lessons learned from NCORR is that doing too many programs that are too complex will cause problems,” Krebs said. “We have the reality of scarce resources. We do not have enough money to do everything that is needed in Western North Carolina. The No. 1 mission that we have is to manage scarce resources. That means setting priorities now, before we start spending the money.” Krebs has promised in both the House and Senate GovOps meetings this week that GROW NC plans to provide a biweekly update on their progress to General Assembly legislators.
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NC Lawmakers File Bill to End Taxes on Tips, Overtime and Bonus Pay
Raleigh, N.C. – Today, North Carolina Representatives Harry Warren, John Bell, Erin Paré and Allen Chesser introduced House Bill 11, “No Tax on Tips, Overtime and Bonus Pay.” The legislation eliminates state income taxes for tips and overtime while also providing a tax deduction for bonus pay up to $2,500.
“This is a common-sense way to reward hardworking hourly employees who go above and beyond to support their families,” said Rep. Warren. “It also incentivizes workers to take on extra shifts and helps employers fill vacant positions.”
“Many hourly workers rely on tipped and overtime wages to pay their bills,” said Rep. Bell. “By allowing these folks to keep more of their hard-earned money, this bill increases take-home pay, supports job growth and honors the value of hard work.”
House Bill 11 would provide a tax deduction for the following:
- Any amount received as overtime compensation.
- Up to $2,500 of “bonus pay.”
- Any amount received as tips.
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The first day of the Long Session of the new biennium commenced on Wednesday of this week. Dozens of bills were filed, which reveals the priorities of both parties and both chambers.
Bills Worth Noticing and Following:
- SB 10-Department of Motor Vehicles would provide mobile driver’s licenses upon request starting July 1, 2026. A pilot program was approved last session for mobile licenses in 2024.
- SB 20-would ban organized balloon releases frequently done during funerals or celebrations, with a fine of $250 per offense due to environment and wildlife dangers.
- HB 8-would require state and local government agencies to buy recyclable materials and compostable food. The state would also monitor its plastic usage and collaborate with private entities to problem solve recycling issues.
- HB 13-would allow the state to fine businesses up to $5,000 when they charge customers overage fees for paying with a credit card or a debit card (outside of the customary allowable processing charges).
- HB 24-would repeal a new law passed in 2024 that did away with the consequences of "downzoning" procedures that municipalities use to engage in stricter zoning rules against property owners' consent.
- SB 14- would prevent literacy testing that contains racist ideas
- HB 14 - would allow bettors to deduct wagering losses against gambling winnings on their state taxes — but only if they itemize their deductions.This bill would net gains and not all winnings, however, taxpayers would not be able to reduce their adjusted gross income level by deducting more in losses than winnings.
- HB 11- would exempt bonus pay up to $2,500, plus overtime pay and tips, from state income taxes.
- HB 12- would end Daylight Savings Time in North Carolina
- HB 5- would allow almost anyone who is 18 or older to carry a concealed handgun without needing to pass tests on firearms safety
- HB 9- would allow property owners to shoot guns on their own property with no consequences if reasonable care and safety are followed
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Article Shared From Davie County's Enterprise
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ADVANCE – The morning of Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 saw Hurricane Helene roar into western North Carolina. It left behind massive destruction and death. Emergency agencies in those areas were overwhelmed and in some cases – devastated. Immediately request came for help. Advance Fire Department deployed a crew and fire truck to assist Ledger Fire Department in Mitchell County and another crew with a drone to Asheville. This same week was to be the annual fall barbecue fundraiser, so the board of directors decided to cancel the barbecue due to the loss of help to the disaster. They also realized that many of their fellow firefighters in Western North Carolina had suffered tremendous personal loss. It was decided that in place of the barbecue, they would ask for donations for Western North Carolina Firefighters. It began on Friday, the day of the planned barbecue with a drive-thru donation line. Information was also posted on social media with an on-line giving option. Once donations began coming in a determination had to be made how to distribute the money. Advance is a member of the Western North Carolina Association of Firefighters. The association put a plan in place where firefighters needing help could fill out an application for assistance. A panel of association officers ranked the applications based on need. The Advance Fire Department Board of Directors decided this was the best way for the donations to be disbursed. On Jan. 15 , at the associations’ quarterly meeting, a check for $14,240.62 was presented by Advance Chief Rodney Miller and PIO/Treasurer Ronnie Robertson. They learned that 74 firefighters had been approved for assistance.; 10 had experienced a loss of everything. A total of $175,200 had been disbursed with the amount to recipients ranging from $500 to $8,700 There are additional firefighters still needing assistance. Advance Fire Department will continue to receive donations.
Mail to:
AFD, 1869 NC 801 S., Advance, write WNC Helene Relief on the memo or scan the QR code on the department’s Facebook page.
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