Not much to report this week on legislation that directly affects the environment, as activities on Jones Street continued to highlight partisan divides.
S58, AG/Restrict Challenge to Presidential EOs, (the companion bill to H72 that we highlighted a couple of weeks ago) made a surprise appearance on the Senate calendar this week.
Arguments against the bill spoke to the dangers of ceding state authority to the president regardless of whether his executive orders infringe on states’ rights. As Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed (D-Mecklenburg) said: "With this bill, we kneel to the president. And with this bill, North Carolina will always kneel."
Nevertheless, the bill passed second reading along party lines and is calendared for final Senate approval next Tuesday, March 11.
The House passed H74, Budget Technical Corrections, with a handful of Democrats voting with the Republicans to send it to the Senate. This bill is a companion to the ersatz Helene relief legislation, passed into law in December, that took some agencies from Gov. Josh Stein. Litigation over that bill is ongoing.
This week, more tangible Helene relief got unified support. The Senate passed an amended version of H47, Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 - Part 1, which now includes more than $530 million for disaster recovery in western North Carolina.
That's still only about half of Stein's requested funding, but the General Assembly and governor generally agree on how the money is allocated: housing rebuilding, crop losses, resources to local fire departments, debris clean-up and more. Senate amendments added funds to extend the school year into the summer to make up for the lengthy post-Helene absences. A House concurrence vote is scheduled for Tuesday.
Outside the main chambers, that "early in the session" feeling continues. Committees are still hearing informational presentations from agencies and public utilities in appropriations and other substantive committees.
Of note, the House Regulatory Reform Committee heard from a number of experts on PFAS, including a presentation on a new technology that removes PFAS from polluted water using a materials science-based technology.