(The Center Square) – Increased oversight by the North Carolina Legislature of state agencies making rules with significant costs is a step closer to becoming law.
Likely, the General Assembly will have to hand that power to itself. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, like his predecessor Roy Cooper, is loath to let go of authority and a veto of the bill once known in the Senate as the NC REINS Act is ready to be teed up for him.
Limit Rules With Substantial Financial Costs, known also as House Bill 402, is the companion to what was previously called the NC REINS Act, or Senate Bill 290. The latter name is derived from the quest to rein in government oversight.
The House of Representatives, 70-44 in favor, on Tuesday cleared the legislation to be sent Stein. Midday Wednesday, that was yet to be recorded on the state legislative website.
The measure had no Republicans against and the support of Democratic Reps. Cecil Brockman of Guilford County, Carla Cunningham of Mecklenburg County and Shelly Willingham of Edgecombe County. That signals a chamber 71-49 majority Republicans could get a three-fifths majority needed to override a veto is possible.
Senate passage (26-17) was in party divide. The chamber is 30-20 majority Republicans, enough if all are present and stay together to override.
The General Assembly would need to ratify rules that have aggregate financial costs of $20 million in a five-year period.
Respective units of government such as a board, commission or council would need two-thirds favoring for rules with costs equal or greater than $1 million over five years; and would need unanimous approval for rules with costs equal or greater than $10 million.
Some legislative critics of the proposal have said that the proposal could be dangerous because it would create an extra layer of approval for regulations aimed at protecting public health.
