NC legislative issues of possible interest to NC boatbuilders and marine product manufacturers

How the NCMA is helping North Carolina manufacturers

[Contact Jim Bell, Executive Director of the NCMA at (919) 782-8416 or NCMA@nc.rr.com.]

The following is a representative list of specific pending legislation of importance to manufacturers:

 I. Taxes

               1) S99/H44 Streamlined Sales Tax. This initiative is designed to      collect significant lost state revenue from catalog and internet retail sales, but manufacturers must ensure that their beneficial sales tax caps remain in place.

               2) S680 This initiative will allow manufacturers to take a tax credit

                    on workplace safety expenditures.

               3) S674 This initiative will introduce a graduated corporate income

                   tax rate so that the first $30,000 of income is taxed below the

                  current 6.9%.

               4) S944 This bill is entitled “The 21^st Century Jobs Act” and it will

                   be designed to encourage manufacturing expansion.

               5) S326 State Unemployment Tax Avoidance. This bill was carefully

                  amended so SUTA dumping cannot occur in the future, but

                   companies will not be penalized for previous legal tax planning

                  which lowered their Unemployment Taxes.  

II. Environmental and Regulatory

                1)S945 This initiative is designed to encourage manufacturing

                   expansion and expedite environmental permit processing.

                2)H1041 This initiative is aimed at ensuring that most state

                   regulations are no more stringent than corresponding

                   federal regulations.

               3)H868,H849,S909, et al. These bills would significantly increase

                  environmental penalties and reporting requirements.

              4)S829,S809,S980, et al. These bills affect the environmental

                 laws and regulations concerning Stormwater and Groundwater.

              5)S956,H1151, et al. These bills change requirements in the

                  Administrative Procedures Act concerning notice, hearings

                  and authority of the Rules Review Commission in the

                  state agency rulemaking process.

              6)S782, H822, et al. These bills would mandate benefits in

                 employee health plans.

III. Workers Compensation and Labor Law

               1)S481, S513, et al. These bills would increase the awards in W/C

                  cases.

               2)S713, H1131 These bills would improve the W/C system by

                   ensuring that only deserving claims within the intent of the

                   Act are paid.

                3)S921 This bill would give employers legal rights to stop 3d parties

                  from harassing or otherwise stalking employees at their

                   place of work.

               4)S798 This bill would establish “little EEOC” agencies at the local

                  level and provide for lawsuits against employers.

              5)H1181 This bill would require OSHA reinspections under certain

                 circumstances.

IV. Legal Actions

1)      H809 This bill would limit non-economic damages and attorneys fees in medical malpractice cases.

2)      S963 This bill is designed to stop price gouging during a

declared natural disaster.