RALEIGH — The actions by the Republican-led General Assembly have kept North Carolina in the national spotlight — and not in a good way, according to state Rep. Garland Pierce.
From the passage of the bathroom bill in March to last week’s decision to strip the incoming Democrat governor of much of his authority, the state has been seen in a negative light, said Pierce, whose own photograph appeared in the Los Angeles Times along with a story on state lawmakers’ recent actions.
“North Carolina was known for being one of the most progressive states in the South,” said Pierce, who District 48 includes Scotland County. “That is no longer true.”
Pierce said a focus on divisive issues has hurt the state’s economy and standing.
HB2, which could be repealed today — is one of those issues. The legislation requires transgender people to use restrooms corresponding with the sex on their birth certificate in many public buildings. It also excludes sexual orientation and gender identity from statewide anti-discrimination protections. As a result of the legislation, North Carolina lost new jobs as companies declined to expand in the state, while cancellations of concerts and conventions also took a toll. The NCAA and ACC also relocated events after the bill’s passage.
Then last week, the General Assembly voted to cut the number of political appointees the next governor, Roy Cooper, could appoint to help run his agencies. The Democrat will be able to pick up to 425 state employees, reduced from 1,500 allowed for current republican Gov. Pat McCrory.
The new law also shifts many administrative powers of the state public school system from the State Board of Education — members of which are picked almost entirely by the governor — to the statewide elected superintendent of Public Instruction. A Republican will assume the superintendent’s job next month.
State lawmakers passed a separate bill that merges the state Elections Board into an eight-member commission split between four Democrats and four Republicans. Each county elections board also will now be equally divided by party. The previous law gave the governor’s party a majority of seats on the State Board of Elections and all 100 county boards.
Pierce called the decisions “power grabs” by his Republican counterparts.
“The GOP has shown a disregard for the voters of North Carolina who have chosen Roy Cooper as governor,” the Wagram Democrat said. “It is an attempt to undermine him and take away his authority and ability to appoint his secretaries, deputies and other positions.”
Many Republicans insist the legislation is simply adjusting the constitutional powers already granted to the General Assembly. Many provisions had been debated for years but had either been blocked or the Democratic viewpoint previously won.
Cooper said last week that he would sue to block the laws if he felt they were unconstitutional or hurt working families.
House Democrats have said they may be able to have all the changes thrown out on a technicality. They said the method by which Republicans called themselves in — minutes after the end of an earlier special session McCrory announced for disaster relief legislation — wasn’t initiated properly. The issue involves collecting signatures from enough House and Senate members.
Lawmakers’ veto-proof majorities since 2013 and the uncompetitive election districts they drew have allowed legislative Republicans to ignore Democratic viewpoints.
“What can I say? Elections have consequences,” Pierce said.
According to Pierce, he and his fellow Democrats in the state House are outnumbered 74 to 46. Republicans also hold a super-majority in the state Senate.
“They can override any veto the governor may make,” Pierce said. “It puts us in a very difficult position. We will continue to debate and to fight, but our supporters should know what we are up against.”
Still, Pierce said he was encouraged that some moderate Republicans were also upset by the last week’s decisions.
“Not all Republicans agree with this. I am hoping that we can find some common ground and govern and do the things for the citizens of North Carolina in terms of education, health care and jobs,” Pierce said. “North Carolina deserves better. I hope we do better.”
