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State Government
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By Administrator
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Wednesday, 08 May 2013 14:58 |
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RALEIGH, (AP) — Gov. Pat McCrory's effort to direct more money to high-impact transportation projects has received initial approval from the North Carolina House.
The House granted tentative approval on a 96-22 vote Wednesday. The proposal ends a system of dividing funding equally among the state's 14 transportation divisions and instead places it in competitive pools at the state, regional and local levels. The system places a greater emphasis on ranking formulas that will be developed later.
The Department of Transportation has to publicly report about developments in the formulas.
Supporters argue the bill takes political weight out of transportation decisions and directs money more effectively. Opponents worry the new model will overlook rural areas and emphasize toll roads.
The bill will return for a final vote then head to the Senate.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 08 May 2013 15:05 |
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State Government
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By Administrator
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Wednesday, 08 May 2013 13:02 |
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RALEIGH, (AP) — The North Carolina legislature seems interested in helping Gov. Pat McCrory change laws determining how state government employees are managed, hired and fired.
A House committee scheduled a meeting Wednesday to consider significant changes to the State Personnel Act. The meeting comes a day after McCrory told Council of State members he was seeking flexibility to provide incentives to good state employees and more tools to deal with poorly-performing workers.
The Republican governor told a story Tuesday in which an employee hasn't shown up for three months and has appealed a dismissal. McCrory says the average appeal for a firing is now more than 400 days.
The General Assembly already gave McCrory's administration the ability to hire twice as many as at-will employees as predecessor Beverly Perdue.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 08 May 2013 13:03 |
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State Government
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By Administrator
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Wednesday, 08 May 2013 13:00 |
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RALEIGH, (AP) — Legislation making it a crime to fail to report a missing child and increasing punishment for false reports about similar investigations is heading to North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory's desk.
The House voted unanimously Tuesday for the measure named in memory of a Florida toddler's death that made national headlines. The Senate passed "Caylee's Law" — for Caylee Anthony — last week by a similar vote.
The bill makes it a felony when parents knowingly fail to report to police their child has been missing for at least 24 hours. It's a misdemeanor if any other person reasonably suspects a child may be in danger but doesn't tell police within a reasonable time.
There would also be a new crime of failing to notify authorities about a child's death. |
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 08 May 2013 13:01 |
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State Government
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By Administrator
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Tuesday, 07 May 2013 11:39 |
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RALEIGH, (AP) — North Carolina lawmakers want to give state Treasurer Janet Cowell more flexibility in how to invest public employee pension funds.
The Senate voted by a wide margin Monday to change the composition of alternative investments beyond stocks and bonds in the state retirement system portfolio, valued recently at $78 billion. The bill allowing more pension funds in venture capital, hedge funds and real estate now goes to the House.
Bill sponsor Sen. Ralph Hise of Spruce Pine says Cowell sought the legislation, which attempts to simplify investment limits.
The current law says the pension fund can invest up to 34 percent in several categories, with individual caps on each category. The bill would raise the aggregate to 40 percent of market value, with caps in any category at 15 percent.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 May 2013 11:40 |
