(The Center Square) – Eviction of squatters from private property is in adjusted legislation approved by the Rules Committee of the North Carolina House of Representatives, a move toward settling the dispute of a veto from the governor.
The bill stripped out provisions added by the Senate that regulate student’s use of cellphones in the classroom and also removes a ban on local government regulation of pet shops, which caused Gov. Josh Stein to issue one of his 14 vetoes.
“They decided to add something that didn’t belong,” Rep. Julia Howard, R-Davie, a real estate agent, told the committee about the Senate’s classroom cellphone addition to the bill. “We are bringing it back under Senate Bill 55, and it is the exact language that we had in the original squatter’s bill, with two small exceptions.”
Under the legislation adopted by the committee, a hearing before a magistrate would be required within 48 hours of a complaint filed by a property owner. Similar legislation was originally sponsored last year, passed the House but not the Senate.
“This legislation originally addressed squatters, and I supported it,” Stein wrote in the veto. ”At the last moment, however, an unrelated amendment was added that prohibits local governments from regulating pet stores. This bill would facilitate inhumane puppy mills in North Carolina. Without this provision, I would sign the legislation. With it, I cannot support it.”
The new version of the bill now goes back before the full House.
The Rules Committee also approved a proposed joint House-Senate resolution for adjournment as the Legislature remains undecided on a new two-year state budget that was due to begin July 1.
Under the proposal, the legislators would convene for three-day sessions in August and September followed by one-day “check-in” sessions every 30 days after until a short session April 21 of next year.
“It is hoped that we can work with the Senate to get this resolved,” said Rules Committee Chairman John Bell, R-Wayne. “This is our attempt to do just that.”
