Senate Appropriations Chairmen Call on House to Concur with ‘Back the Blue Act’ and ‘Defund Planned Parenthood’ Bill
Raleigh, N.C. – Today, the House Rules Committee heard multiple ineligible bills under the General Assembly’s adjournment resolution, including a bill that would provide pay increases and bonuses for law enforcement officers and a proposal to ensure that no tax dollars would go to Planned Parenthood.
“If the House is serious about providing much-needed pay increases for our hardworking men and women in law enforcement and putting an end to taxpayer dollars supporting Planned Parenthood, all they have to do is concur with House Bills 42 and 192,” Senate Appropriations Chairmen Brent Jackson (R-Sampson), Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell), and Michael Lee (R-New Hanover) said. “It’s time to stop playing politics and come to the negotiating table.”
House Bill 42, “Back the Blue Pay Act,” and House Bill 192, “Defund Planned Parenthood & Cost Transparency,” are both eligible for immediate House action today.
Earlier this week, the Senate sent the House a proposal to include those bills and funding for the Medicaid rebase in Senate Bill 449. The proposal given to the House was:
All Medicaid rebase funding included in House Bill 562, with the following changes: $52.5 million for N.C. Care (rural healthcare) and $51.8 million for N.C. Children’s. That is half of the funding previously committed to by the House. This is not new money and was included in the 2023 budget agreement.
“Back the Blue Pay Act” (House Bill 42) with these changes: add $2.8 million recurring to State Highway Patrol for civilian positions, add General Assembly Police (6.5%), about $500,00 recurring, and add DOI Law Enforcement (6.5%), about $370,000 recurring.
Language ensuring funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program from the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act can be appropriated by the General Assembly.
House Bill 192, “Defund Planned Parenthood & Cost Transparency.”
The House would not agree to the proposal and ended negotiations.
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