Staff reports | With the General Assembly going out of general session a month earlier this year, the annual “crossover” deadline this year will be April 10. After that date, original bills from one chamber will have to get a two-thirds vote to be heard in the other chamber. The parliamentary rule essentially makes it more difficult at the busy end of a legislative session to rush through new measures that might not be fully vetted.
Over the past week as a reflection of how much of the session’s priorities have already been set, there were few new bills introduced – 26 in the Senate and 28 in the House. Of particular interest:
Tax credit. S. 581 (Campbell) seeks an income tax credit related to alternative fuel and bi-fuel vehicles. H. 4065 (Simrill) is similar.
John de la Howe School. S. 596 (Peeler) is a resolution to devolve the board of the school and replace it with an interim or new board and to make recommendations to the state about the school’s future taking de la Howe’s will into consideration, with several caveats.
Income tax brackets, gas tax. S. 600 (Hembree) seeks to reduce the number of income tax brackets to three and phase in an increase in the income ranges in the three brackets over six years, with several provisions. The bill also would boost the gas tax by 12 cents over six years and change the governance at the state Department of Transportation, with several provisions.
Tax returns. S. 605 (Climer) seeks each constitutional officer and legislator to provide a copy of federal and state personal tax returns as part of filing a Statement of Economic Interests, with several provisions.
School pilot program H. 4053 (Mack) calls for a six-year pilot program in nine districts to implement and monitor “continuous primary modules for use instead of grades one through three” and for the state develop the module, with many provisions.
Biennial budget. H. 4066 (Elliott) seeks to make the state budgeting process on a two-year schedule instead of the annual schedule, with several provisions related to adjournment.
$498 million in bonds. H. 3722 (Ways and Means) calls for the issuance of $498.2 million of capital improvement bonds. To see the list of borrowing that the bill seeks, click the link.
Server training. H. 4068 (Herbkersman) seeks a state law to train alcohol servers in responsible ways to serve and require certification, with several provisions.
Exceptional needs student tax credit. H. 4077 (G.R. Smith) seeks an income tax credit related to exceptional needs students, with many provisions.
Title IX law. H. 4079 (Huggins) seeks a state law that colleges and universities that get federal Title IX funding notify the state of student violations and punishments resulting, with several provisions.
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