A Bright New Day from M+M Creative on Vimeo.

The 2011-2012 biennium of the North Carolina General Assembly convened on January 26th. So far, the long session has been nothing short of historic.  Grassroots activism--in the form of voter education, emails and phone calls to legislators, rallies at the legislature and visiting elected officials—has resulted in good new policy for North Carolinians! (See the list below.)

Activists have come in carpools to Raleigh from as far away as New Bern, Wilmington and Asheville to rally in front of the state legislature in support of overrides of Governor Bev Perdue’s job killing vetoes. AFP members from across the state have visited their elected officials, made their presence known in the gallery, emailed, called and wrote letters.

Americans for Prosperity held two rallies in those last two exciting weeks before the legislature went home for a late-summer break.

Click here to see photographs of the Veto Bev Perdue event on July 13.

Before the legislature returned on July 13, Americans for Prosperity held a Veto Bev Perdue rally to encourage lawmakers to override Bev Perdue’s vetoes of key job creating bills such as Medical Malpractice reform, the Energy Jobs Act, regulatory reform and others. After the rally the Senate overrode 6 vetoes.

It was then the State House’s turn. As the North Carolina House returned, Americans for Prosperity launched another grassroots mobilization effort to support override of key jobs bills, dubbed a Bright New Day for NC Jobs. 

By the end of the week of July 26, Americans for Prosperity and liberty-loving people around North Carolina celebrated the final override of four free market bills –Medical Malpractice Reform (SB 33), Regulatory Reform (SB 781), Medicaid, Health Choice Provider Requirements (SB 496) and Employment Security Commission Jobs Reform (SB 532) - laws that will increase jobs in North Carolina by clarifying and updating regulations so that businesses can move forward with more certainty. 

Americans for Prosperity is pleased that our grassroots members helped some very significant free-market legislation become law this session:

Medical Malpractice Reform expands access to care and will attract scores of new medical jobs. Under the current system, North Carolina doctors are forced to administer expensive and unnecessary tests and procedures. The high cost of that defensive medicine is then passed on to consumers in the form of higher insurance costs and to taxpayers in the form of costlier taxpayer-funded medical programs for the poor.


Regulatory Reform clarifies and simplifies some of North Carolina’s confusing and outdated regulations, making it easier for citizens and businesses to attain permits and rely on more predictable guidelines. State agencies have added or changed more than 15,000 rules over the past decade, many of which create uncertainty in the private sector and impede job creation.


Medicaid and Health Choice Provider Requirements clarifies and strengthens requirements of Medicaid and Health Choice providers. This will save money for taxpayers.


Employment Security Commissions/Jobs Reform makes changes to one of the state’s most dysfunctional agencies.

Became law earlier this session:


Budget with ZERO tax increases allowing the temporary sales and income taxes to sunset as planned. A budget with zero tax increases was not only passed, but historically vetoed by the Governor and historically overridden by the House and Senate. By reducing spending by more than $1.4 billion, it’s finally making North Carolina’s government live within its means.


Removed cap on the number of charter schools and raised the enrollment cap for existing charter schools from 10% to 20%.


Tax credit for Special Needs Students will allow parents to choose which public or private school is correct for their special needs.


Amend Environmental Laws will simplify outdated rules and regulations.


Tort Reform for Businesses and Citizens will help protect North Carolina business from worthless junk lawsuits. 


Annexation Laws Reform The long-overdue, comprehensive annexation reform the legislature passed will keep municipalities from forcibly annexing private property and saddling residents with the high costs of hooking up to municipal services. This is the first time North Carolina’s annexation laws have been reformed in more than 50 years.  


Repeal Land Transfer Tax This unpopular tax will no longer be an option for counties.


Promoted Level Playing Field/Government Competition legislation which protects private jobs and investment by regulating local government competition with private businesses in the communications industry.


Business exemption allowed for the first $50,000 in business income for those businessmen who file individual income tax form. 


Workers Comp Reform clarified and strengthened workmens comp rules and regulations.


High School Accreditation Bill prohibits state-run colleges from considering whether a student came from an accredited school (except for state agency accreditation). Aimed at accrediting agencies that bully school boards on basis of political disagreement.  

The General Assembly will return to Raleigh in September. We will be supporting the eminent domain constitutional amendment, override of the governor’s veto of the energy jobs act along with a cut or cap of the state tax on gasoline, and an override of Governor Perdue’s veto of the NCAE dues check-off bill. This bill would no longer require taxpayers and the state of North Carolina to collect dues on behalf of unions.

To all AFP Members and Activists: We did it! Thank you for all your hard work and congratulations on being a part of free market history being made in Raleigh!