Legislative Watch: Suppressing Votes and Defunding Conservation

To the surprise of no one, the lame-duck legislature continues to deliver results poisonous to natural resource conservation and voter participation.

Legislation mandating photo identification to vote passed both chambers, and has been sent to the governor, who has until December 16 to veto the bill, sign it, or allow it to become law without his signature. NCLCV and other citizen conservation groups have actively opposed voter ID bills as unneeded and likely to reduce participation by eligible voters who are disproportionately poor, physically challenged, or people of color.

NCLCV executive director Carrie Clark notes, “Our right to clean air and water is tied to our right to vote. Without it, polluters can do whatever they want.”

In addition, the state Senate tossed another terrible idea into the legislative mix, approving legislation abolishing the Clean Water Management and the Parks and Recreation trust funds. The bill, SB 821, introduced by Sen. Andy Wells (R-Catawba), was approved 21-8 by the Senate and sent to the House.

Wells alleged that the bill was needed to deal with a state Supreme Court decision confirming that the legislature had unconstitutionally stripped the governor of appointment power over those and a number of other state boards. Wells acknowledged, however, that he particularly disliked the way the two conservation funds have evaluated and approved projects.

Competing legislation has already been filed in the House by NCLCV Conservation PAC-endorsed Rep. Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson), which would simply return to the governor the appointive power which the court ruled must be retained there. Conservationists will advocate for protection of the conservation funds and the important work they support.

Up next, Congressional Election Still in Question >>

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