The North Carolina House and Senate have passed a measure to amend the State Environmental Policy Act, though House Republicans must now decide whether to accept Senate changes, according to the Associated Press.
In April, The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported that “the law is meant to ensure that when state or local government agencies spend tax dollars on major projects, there is public input, all the possible impacts are considered and alternatives are evaluated. The bill’s sponsors say the State Environmental Policy Act is outdated and that any benefits are outweighed by unnecessary costs for taxpayers.”
On Tuesday, the full Senate gave its final approval of the measure, including an amendment changing the threshold to perform reviews to when more than $10 million in state funds are being spent or when more than 10 acres of public land are disturbed. The House had approved a 5-acre threshold.
House Republicans must next decide whether to accept the Senate changes. Otherwise, the chambers will work on a compromise, according to the Associated Press.
Here is how the state House and Senate most recently reported on the measure, as reported by the N.C. General Assembly:
NC House vote: House Bill 795
| Democrat | Republican | |
| Ayes: | Representative(s): Brisson; C. Graham; Earle; Goodman; Michaux; R. Moore; Waddell; Wray | Representative(s): Adams; Arp; Avila; B. Brown; Bishop; Blackwell; Blust; Boles; Bradford; Brawley; Brody; Bryan; Bumgardner; Burr; Cleveland; Collins; Conrad; Dixon; Dobson; Elmore; Ford; Fraley; Hager; Hardister; Hastings; Holloway; Horn; Howard; Hurley; J. Bell; Jones; Jordan; L. Johnson; Lambeth; Langdon; Lewis; Malone; McElraft; McNeill; Millis; Pendleton; Pittman; Presnell; R. Brown; R. Turner; Riddell; Robinson; Ross; S. Martin; Saine; Schaffer; Setzer; Shepard; Speciale; Stam; Steinburg; Stevens; Szoka; T. Moore (SPEAKER); Tine; Torbett; Watford; West; Whitmire; Yarborough; Zachary |
| Noes: | Representative(s): Adcock; Ager; Alexander; B. Turner; Baskerville; Brockman; Carney; Cotham; Cunningham; D. Hall; Fisher; Floyd; G. Graham; G. Martin; Gill; Glazier; Hamilton; Hanes; Harrison; Holley; Hunter; Insko; Jackson; L. Bell; L. Hall; Lucas; Luebke; Meyer; Pierce; Queen; R. Johnson; Reives; Richardson; Salmon; Terry; Willingham | Representative(s): Catlin; Dollar; Faircloth; Jeter; McGrady |
| Not Voting: | Representative(s): None | Representative(s): Daughtry; Warren |
| Exc. Absence: | Representative(s): Farmer-Butterfield | Representative(s): Davis; Iler |
NC Senate
| Democrat | Republican | |
| Ayes: | Senator(s): Blue; Bryant; Clark; D. Davis; Ford; Foushee; J. Jackson; Lowe; Robinson; Smith; Smith-Ingram; Stein; Van Duyn; Waddell; Woodard | Senator(s): Alexander; Apodaca; B. Jackson; Barefoot; Barringer; Berger; Bingham; Brock; Brown; Cook; Curtis; Daniel; Gunn; Harrington; Hartsell; Hise; J. Davis; Krawiec; Lee; McInnis; Meredith; Newton; Pate; Rabin; Randleman; Rucho; Sanderson; Soucek; Tarte; Tillman; Tucker; Wade; Wells |
| Noes: | Senator(s): McKissick | Senator(s): None |
| Exc. Absence: | Senator(s): None | Senator(s): Rabon |
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