I had the opportunity to have N.C. Sen. Louis Pate, R-Wayne, on my television program recently, and we discussed some of the major legislation that occurred during a whirlwind finish to the recent legislative session. I want to go in-depth on the Voter ID Bill because there are some aspects to it that most people are probably not familiar with.
The Free Press recently and accurately categorized this legislation as a significant change to the existing law.
First, a brief look at some of the other major legislation:
1. 56 percent of the general fund has been allocated to education in our state, which is a $300 million increase over last year’s expenditure
2. $33 million in recurring state funds has been restored to community colleges, which should be beneficial to LCC
3. Public safety should be enhanced as a result of restoration of funding for 69 troopers with the Highway Patrol
4. Legislation will reduce the maximum number of weeks unemployed workers can receive benefits from 26 weeks to 20 weeks and reduce the maximum weekly benefit from $535 to $350, which took effect on July 1 of this year
5. Draws up plans for a dramatic overhaul of our costly Medicaid Program and …
6. Opens the door WIDE for natural gas exploration in our State.
I will go into detail on much of this legislation in future columns. But for now, let’s talk about the voter ID bill which will be phased in next year and become fully operational by 2016.
Those who vote will be required to present a valid ID, such as one of the following: A North Carolina driver’s license or state-issued ID card, a U.S. passport, a U.S. military ID Card, a veterans ID Card, a tribal ID Card or a driver’s license or special ID from another state if the voter has registered within 90 days of the election.
Opposition to this legislation was voiced by, among others, Senate Minority Leader Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe, who said, “You’re going to have people who have voted all their lives showing up at the polling place and not have what they need to vote.”
Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, who was the GOP point man in the House for this legislation, responded by saying, “This bill will not deny anyone the right to vote.”
Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, added, “Our bill guarantees that any citizen of North Carolina who wants to vote will have every opportunity to do so.”
Here are some aspects of the voter ID bill that you might not be aware of:
1. The early voting period has been shortened from 17 to 10 days
2. Same-day registration where voters can register to vote at an early voting site and immediately cast a ballot has been discontinued
3. Local special election dates will now have to coincide with state, county, or municipal general elections
4. Voting systems to generate an individual paper ballot marked by the voter will be required by 2018, thus effectively eliminating touch-screen voting
5. Pre-registration of 16-year-olds will be eliminated. Currently, such persons are automatically registered when they reach their 18th birthday
6. Prohibition of people registering voters for compensation based on the number of forms submitted
7. The discretion of county election boards to extend Election Day polling hours by an hour until 8:30 p.m. will no longer be permitted and …
8. Require that voters can only vote in the precinct in which they preside.
The ACLU has already filed suit against this legislation (as Gomer Pyle would say, “Surprise, surprise”), but the chances of halting this law, or even slowing it down, are really quite remote.
In my next column, among other things, I’ll write about sweeping tax reform.
Reece Gardner is the host of “The Reece Gardner Hour,” which airs on TACC-9 on Mondays at 9 p.m., Tuesdays at 8 p.m., Thursdays at 11 p.m., Sundays at 10:30 p.m. and on-demand anytime at TACC9.com. You can reach Reece at rbgej@aol.com.