Raleigh, N.C. – State House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) is forming crisis response legislative groups to work remotely on policy measures addressing the COVID-19 crisis and is seeking input from North Carolina residents on reforms that will support families and businesses during the unprecedented emergency.
Speaker Moore said the crisis working groups would comply with COVID-19 containment measures recommended by health officials through remote meetings. He said the groups would prepare emergency response measures across policy sectors including healthcare, education, tax, economic support, and government operations.
Each group will be chaired by members of both parties.
“The General Assembly prepared carefully for an unprecedented crisis like this and has the financial flexibility to help North Carolinians, support the state economy, and fund a robust government response amid the crisis developments that continue to happen each day,” Speaker Moore said Wednesday.
“The state House of Representatives is forming bipartisan legislative working groups to address issues facing families and businesses in North Carolina and seeking input from every county on how to best respond with emergency legislative measures through our unemployment system, savings reserves, budget funding, and policy measures that benefit folks most affected by COVID-19.”
Legislative leaders have reassured North Carolinians that the state is in strong fiscal position with a $3.9 billion Unemployment Trust Fund balance, $1.1 billion in savings, a $74 million disaster relief fund, $184 million in Medicaid contingency reserves, and a $2.2 billion balance of unappropriated cash-on-hand.
“Our focus now is deploying the resources we saved for this crisis effectively through emergency actions that keep our economy moving, help education communities learn collaboratively, and address all the issues that are facing North Carolinians with this massive disruption in their daily lives,” Speaker Moore said.
Speaker Moore has assigned legislative staff to begin preparing remote meeting capabilities for the crisis response working groups and will announce members of the House to lead their initiatives this week.
Issues affecting professional licensure, providing state government services in compliance with containment guidelines, helping families who have lost income, assisting residents with tax complications, and supporting healthcare providers, are specific issues that Speaker Moore said Wednesday the legislative groups are looking to address.
North Carolinians who wish to provide policy and budget recommendations to the Speaker’s legislative working groups should email his office at tim.moore@ncleg.gov.