Chuck Edwards Senate Desk | 2021 Long Session
Having Trouble Viewing This Email? CLICK HERE
From My Senate Desk
Senate Bill 105 the 2021 Appropriations Act, of which I am cosponsoring and serving as an appropriations chair is the culmination of five months of work by the Senate. This document lays out our spending plan for $67.2 billion over the next two years.

More importantly, it reduces your taxes by $13.9 billion over the next five-year period.

This bipartisan plan raises teacher income by 4.5% next year, invests $12 billion in state infrastructure over the next ten years, and replenishes our rainy day savings reserves by adding $3.55 billion.

This newsletter speaks to a few of the budget highlights and includes a few of the most recent news stories from Raleigh.

To get legislative news closer to the time it's happening, be sure to follow me on Facebook or frequently visit my website.



Chuck Edwards, Senator
NC District 48
Conservative Voting Record Recognized

No RINO here. I’m honored for the fourth consecutive year to receive the “Conservative Excellence Award.” Each year the American Conservative Union Foundation reviews voting records of legislators, ranks our performance, then awards the most conservative among us.

This award illustrates how a legislator’s vote aligns with the ideals articulated in the U.S. Constitution: limited and transparent government, individual rights, personal responsibility, and lasting cultural values. I am proud to have been recognized as helping to promote the essential conservative principles that will help create successful, responsible self-government in the state of North Carolina.

Click HERE for the full scoreboard. 
 
Getting NC Back to Work
The pandemic is coming to an end and businesses that have reopened are struggling to find employees. As a result inflation is skyrocketing, businesses are struggling to recover from the pandemic, and manufactures are sending jobs abroad. 

In response to these issues, and as the Chair of Senate Commerce as well as the Chair of Unemployment oversight and the Chair of Oversight for Economic Development and Global Engagement, I rewrote HB 128 to reemploy NC post-pandemic. This piece of legislation deals with the new, critical post pandemic problem where businesses that have managed to survive COVID-19 face a shortage of employees. HB 128 which I now title “An Act to Reemploy NC”, would help encourage those who are currently unemployed who can work, to begin seeking work and it rewards those who choose to reenter the workforce more quickly. Using the very funds that are now fueling the federal supplements, this bill would have provided $1,500 bonus for accepting a job within 30 days of the bill becoming law or a $800 for accepting a job within 60 days. This bill had bipartisan support with eight Democrats joining me. 

Just before the vote I was honored that Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, and U.S. Congressmen Ted Budd enthusiastically supported my efforts by joining me for a press conference. This proposal received national attention as it is the only one that suggested using the $300 unemployment supplement to fund a back-to-work bonus. Unfortunately, the House voted not to concur with my bill. 

The result of the House nonoccurrence was the appointment of a conference committee, on which I was appointed chairman.  This committee combined our ideas into S116 which will end the $300 unemployment incentive altogether. This measure, which received no Democrat votes in the Senate is now on the Governor’s desk awaiting his approval. 


Preventing Discrimination of the Unborn
Our pro-life movement suffered a resounding blow when Governor Cooper recently vetoed H453. This bill, ‘An Act to Protect Against Discrimination of Human Life’ which of course I supported would have prevented abortions from being performed based on race, sex, or genetic abnormality such as downs syndrome. 

It has been well established in federal and state laws the inherent right against discrimination on the basis of race, sex, or handicap. However, these protections currently start when a citizen is born, instead of providing these protections to our most vulnerable citizens, the unborn who are often discriminated against and deprived of life. This bill would have prevented such discrimination, and saved the lives of the unborn.  

During the committee hearings on this bill, we heard heartwarming testimony from children with downs syndrome, and parents of children with downs- that pleaded for us to pass this bill, showing us, that children like this, are special children of God and they touch lives in so many positive ways. It was almost as though they were pleading for their owns lives- when they asked us to save the lives of children like them. I was shocked that in spite of these cries to save human lives- there were a few votes in the committee that supported the murder of children like these. 

I was shocked, but not surprised that our Governor refused to stop such a blatant form of discrimination.  
 
Securing Election Integrity
Three bills have now cleared the Senate and I cosponsored or supported them all. These bills will help secure future elections by prohibiting the use of private monetary donations for certain purposes, requiring prompt absentee requests and mailings from voters, and expanding voter accessibility. 

How these bills will expand voter accessibility is by establishing a voting portal for visually impaired voters to vote by absentee ballot online, allowing for the online submission of voter registration application forms, and assisting voters needing photo identification. 

I was extremely disheartened by the fact that when these bills were brought to the Senate floor for a vote, they passed without a single vote from a Democrat. By Democrats not voting for any of these bills we have identified a Credibility Crisis: "Voting Rights" Advocates voted against a bill to grant ballot access to blind voters and deliver free voter IDs to homes. 

Senate Democrats claim to advocate for "voting rights" voted down a bill that expands voting access. They complained that it's too hard for people to leave their homes to get a free ID, but now oppose mobile voter ID unit that goes to people's homes. 

Senate Bill 724 has three, and only three, provisions: 1) Makes accommodations for blind voters who have difficulty with ballot access; 2) Makes online voter registration law, and 3) Allows for free photo voter IDs to be delivered straight to people's homes. That's it. 

Despite claims of supporting "voting rights," every Senate Democrat voted against this bill, and they wouldn't say why -- not a single one of them spoke during the debate on the Senate floor. 
The legislation was filed, in part, in direct response to complaints from Democrats that it is too burdensome for people to leave their homes to obtain a free voter ID card. One wonders if their "complaints" are genuine if they vote against the solution. 
 
Despite the lack of Democratic support, I’ve heard from you loud and clear- you have tasked me with the issue to provide secure and honest elections - while also making voting accessible to every citizen who chooses to engage. I believe that these three bills will help solve this problem by securing safety through Voter ID that has already been implemented in 36 other states, while also offering free and accessible services on how to obtain one. 

We are required to show an ID in virtually all other aspects of life, so why should voting be any different? We must take steps to limit voter fraud and provide fair, just elections which is why I am supporting these important pieces of legislation. 
Spending Less of Your Hard-Earned Money
 Revenue collections in our state have surged since the February 2021 forecast where collections are expected to be about $6 billion higher than the prior forecast. This forecast shows a growth of 13.6% in the current fiscal year. Additionally, we are expecting solid revenue growth of 8% over the upcoming biennium.  

This acceleration in expected growth comes from a faster than expected economic recovery which has resulted in North Carolina nonpartisan economists announcing a consensus revenue picture that shows a massive surplus. What this tells us, is that we are not spending too little, but rather taxing North Carolinians too much.  

That is why I am in full support of the proposed tax package that reduced the personal income tax rate from 5.25% to 4.99%. Additionally, the package increases the standard deduction from $21,500 to $25,500 as well as increasing the child tax deduction by $500. These changes would be a 21% tax cut for a family of four earning the median household income.  

In this budget, it has been decided between the Senate and the House that general fund spending for the fiscal year 2021-2022 will not exceed $25.7 billion which is a 3.45% increase in spending. For the fiscal year, 2022-2023 expenditures will increase by 3.65% and the budget will not exceed $26.7 billion. 
This agreement dedicates at least $4.2 billion in new capital spending funded through the State Capital and Infrastructure Fund to support critical needs across the states. The agreement will replenish the state’s “Rainy Day Fund.” And this budget will not include a bond - or Medicaid expansion. 

This spending package received bi-partisan support with 32 Senators voting in support. Currently, the proposed budget is in the House and I am feeling extremely optimistic about the progress of the budget. I believe that this package will build on the last decade of responsible budgets that will once again, help keep more of your hard-earned money in your pockets and result in an economy that will be able to continue to recover quickly following disasters such as the pandemic.  
Providing Assistance to First Contact Ministries
to Help Addresses Substance Abuse
Thanks to the budget surplus, and to help us address substance abuse and addiction in Henderson County I was able to lead the charge to help obtain a directed grant in S105 for First Contact Ministries. This provision includes a $1.5 million grant directed to First Contact Ministries to construct a substance abuse rehabilitation facility for Henderson County. Drug and alcohol addiction has become an unspoken pandemic and First Contact Ministries have been giving their time, talent, and resources to save lives and help people get back on track.  
First Contact Ministries got its start as a weekly support group for family members, as well as a mentor group for individuals seeking recovery support. Since its start, the group has grown, along with its vision for expansion.  
 
Thanks to the support of Rep. Moffitt, Rep. Johnson, and the taxpayers of NC we will be able to help people overcome one of their primary obstacles and amplify their vital service to our community.  
 

Henderson County's Steve Wyatt is Appointed to Appalachian State University Board of Trustees
I am pleased to report that on my nomination, the NC Senate appointed Steve Wyatt, former Henderson County Manager to the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.  

Steve recently retired as Henderson County Manager where he served for fifteen years. He has more than 38 years of city and county management experience. An alumnus of Appalachian State University, Wyatt was a founding member and past president of ASU Local Government Alumni Association, whose mission is to support professional training and continuing education. He earned Appalachian’s Distinguished Alumni Award and served as the University Board of Visitors chairman.   

Steve is an excellent fit to serve on ASU’s Board of Trustees due to his out-of-the-box thinking and his steadfast, conservative mountain values. I know that these characteristics along with his knowledge of the university system uniquely qualifies him to serve in his role. I was honored to have nominated Mr. Wyatt as I know that he will make a positive difference for the students, their families, and our taxpayers.  

The University of North Carolina system is composed of seventeen different constituent institutions. Each institution has its own separate Board of Trustees, to which the UNC Board of Governors can delegate authority over to the institution. This governing board shall promote the sound development of the institution, serve as an advisor to the Board of Governors on matters about the institution, and serve as an advisor to the Chancellor concerning management and development of the institution.  
Recognizing Carson Frizzell
Joining or team for the summer is Haywood County native and East Tennessee State University ROTC Cadet Carson Frizzell. The U.S. Army recognizes his talent and passion as he was awarded a full four-year scholarship in the Army's ETSU ROTC program. After he graduates, Carson aspires to serve our great nation through a career in the Army.

He has always been keenly interested in politics, thus he is an excellent fit for this office. While with us this summer, he is helping to conduct research, assisting constituents with issues, and is heavily involved in the mechanics of the legislative process.

I am thrilled that such a high-caliber individual as Carson has joined our team. It's an added benefit that he, too, is a 'mountain boy.'

Follow me on Facebook & Twitter and visit my website for the most current legislative updates