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MVA Monitor – January 29

NC Legislative Newsletter

January 29, 2020

The General Assembly reconvened at noon on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, and with the exception of holidays and unforeseen calendar conflicts, lawmakers will remain in session until a state budget has been passed and legislative goals have been realized.  Wednesday also marked the first day that bills began being filed.

The North Carolina Senate had announced its committee memberships earlier in January and Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) announced the House assignments on Monday, January 25.

 

Issue Insights

State and Legislative Issues

COVID-19 Executive Orders

On Wednesday, January 27,  Governor Cooper and Dr. Cohen, Secretary of Health and Human Services, held a press conference to provide an update on the State’s COVID-19 response.  The communications included a series of Executive Orders:
  • Executive Order 189.  This Order extends the Modified Stay-at-Home Order and the period for which the price-gouging law is in effect until 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 28, 2021.  This extension includes the mask mandate, the limitations on certain businesses, and the daily curfew from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the next day.  These provisions had been set to expire as of Friday, January 29, 2021.
  • Executive Order 190.  This Order extends Executive Order 183, which temporarily allowed for the sale of mixed-beverages in sealed containers for off-premises consumption under certain circumstances, until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31, 2021.  These provisions had previously been set to expire as of Sunday, January 31, 2021.
  • Executive Order 191.  This Order extends the provisions of Executive Orders 171 and 184 through and including Wednesday, March 31, 2021.  Executive Order 171 includes the moratorium on residential evictions for nonpayment of rent and an extension of programs to assist individuals with rent and utilities payments.  Executive Order 184 temporarily expanded the availability of the attached claim process to help expedite the processing of unemployment claims.  Both of those Orders had been set to expire as of Sunday, January 31, 2021.
  • Executive Order 192.  This Order extends certain transportation-related COVID-19 provisions of previous orders until Sunday, February 28, 2021.

More on Gov. Cooper’s extension of executive orders here.

Vaccination Distribution

Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) sent members a letter Wednesday reiterating the General Assembly’s oversight of the state’s vaccine distribution.
Rural Broadband

Faster internet is a top priority for the legislature. But how can NC get there? (Raleigh News & Observer)

In Memory

Former state House Representative Doris Rogers Huffman, 85, passed away on Friday, January, 22, 2021. She was elected to office in 1984 representing the 45th District House Seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives.  Representative Huffman served four consecutive terms from 1985 to 1992, and was a member of the National Women in Government Roundtable, a national, non-profit, non-partisan organization of women state legislators.  She was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine in June of 1992.

Local Issues – Charlotte

Charlotte City Council Vacancy

143 people applied to fill the at-large vacancy on the Charlotte City Council following Councilman James Mitchell’s (D) resignation earlier this month. Applicants seeking to fill the seat must be a Charlotte resident, at least 21 years old, a registered Democrat, and qualified to vote in City Council elections. Once selected, the interim council member will serve the remainder of the unfinished term ending this year.

District 1 Councilman Larken Egleston and former District 3 Councilwoman LaWana Mayfield have each announced their intention to run for an at-large seat in November.

Charlotte has an open City Council seat – 143 people say they want the job (Charlotte Observer)

Mecklenburg County COVID-19 Directive

Mecklenburg extends Covid health directive – but removes recommendation against in-person classes (Charlotte Ledger)

News Roundup