Welcome to the most recent edition of The Onslow Observer! This month, we have worked tirelessly to defeat Governor Cooper’s anti-family, anti-business, and anti-farming agenda by overriding several of his vetoes. We’ve passed common sense legislation, allowing the citizens of North Carolina to keep more of their hard-earned money and to maintain a strong voice in their child's education. We’ve also worked to restore integrity in our elections by passing two bills to upgrade our voting system into one that works for the people, removing partisan advantages in state & local boards of elections. Together, we can find solutions and implement impactful legislation that guarantees the safety and prosperity of every North Carolinian. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office and share any questions, concerns, or ideas – your input and engagement are vital in shaping our future! As always, thank you for your continued support and prayers. At your service, Michael Lazzara North Carolina Senator
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Independence Day! We are blessed beyond measure to live in the land of the free, because it’s home of the brave. Hope you all have a fun and safe 4th of July!
VETO OVERRIDE
The NC Senate took action to override the Governor‘s vetoes on six bills — five of which originally had Democratic support and two which had passed unanimously. Unfortunately, nearly every Democrat flipped their vote to fall in line with Roy Cooper’s demands instead of the interests of their constituents. These bills will ensure local governments are transparent with their spending of your tax dollars (SB 299); modernize consumer finance for everyday business transactions (SB 331 & SB 329); protect state employees from discrimination and defend their First Amendment rights (SB 364); support farmers and the agriculture industry (SB 582); and stop CRT & DEI in our state’s hiring, curriculum, and investments (HB 750). This year alone, we have successfully overridden all eight of Governor Cooper’s vetoes. The NC Senate is continuing to restore common sense to state government.
Restoring Voter Confidence
In order to ensure trust in election outcomes, we need to build confidence in the system that counts the votes — and it’s near impossible to do so when election administration is controlled by one political party. That’s why we passed two bills in the Senate, SB 747 and SB 749. These are common sense reforms to restore voter confidence, upgrade the integrity of elections, and remove partisan advantage on state & local boards of elections. Specifically, these bills establish Election Day as the deadline for accepting absentee ballots, prohibit boards of elections from accepting third-party donations, implement a process for removing non-citizens from the voter rolls, and close the loophole of having new voters cast a ballot before their address is verified. Additionally, our legislation ensures equal representation on the boards of elections — allowing Unaffiliated voters to serve on the board, which is a change from current law. These measures deliver an elections system that North Carolinians can trust to be free from political gamesmanship, placing integrity above all else. READ MORE >>> Senate Bill 747: Elections Law Changes Senate Bill 749: No Partisan Advantage in Elections
Carolina Journal Op-Ed
Passing the Compassionate Care Act is more than a legislative action — it is a moral obligation to our military veterans. By providing them with access to medical cannabis as a potential treatment option, we uphold our conservative principles of personal liberty and limited government intervention while addressing their unique healthcare needs with evidence-based therapy. READ MORE >>>
DMV Schedule Changes
New DMV Schedule Changes = Increased Walk-In Availability. Driver license offices now serve walk-in customers only from 12pm until close on weekdays. Appointments are now only available in the mornings and can be scheduled up to 90 days in advance at skiptheline.ncdot.gov. Please share to help us spread the word!
Strengthening State & Local Government Relations
It is critically important that we maintain a strong relationship between state and local government. I had the pleasure to spend time meeting with Jacksonville’s Mayor Sammy Phillips, and Deputy City Manager Ron Massey. These men have a passion for serving our community, and I look forward to our continued partnership to make Onslow County the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
Legislative Update
We’re continuing to stay busy at the NC General Assembly, meeting with constituents and various groups as we continue to address critical issues that affect our community.
Our session has been exceptionally fruitful thus far, with significant accomplishments having been made. Since our last newsletter, we have had the following bills which we've sponsored pass the Senate, become law, or currently sitting on the Governor’s desk:
PASSED THE SENATE:
SB 234: Taxpayer Transparency Act.
BECAME LAW:
SB 22: Rename Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council.
SB 58: Protect Critical Infrastructure.
SB 364: Nondiscrim & Dignity in State Work.
SB 673: Wastewater Regulatory Relief Act.
PRESENTED TO GOVERNOR:
SB 171: Department of Public Safety Agency Bill.
SB 246: Property Owners Protection Act.
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