From the office of Senator Gene McLaurin
♦The N.C. Senate voted today to override the Governor’s vetoes of House Bill 786-Reclaim NC Act and House 392 – Drug Screen Applicants for Public Assistance. Having previously voted ‘Aye’ on both bills, Senator Gene McLaurin (Richmond-D) voted to override the Governor’s vetoes.
Senator McLaurin commented on House Bill 786, a bill directing the Department of Public Safety to study measures for addressing the problem of illegal immigration and to clarify which employers are subject to the state’s E-Verify laws, saying, “It was clear to me after hearing from numerous farmers in the district, as well as Agriculture Commissioner Troxler, members of the NC Farm Bureau, NC Grange, and many other agricultural organizations, that this bill should become law. Farmers came to us and asked for help, and I was pleased to offer my support.”
The second bill, House Bill 392 will require drug tests for applicants of certain public assistance programs. Senator McLaurin said, “I supported this bill because, like many private sector employees, am subject to a random drug test in my job. Anyone today who happens to be on public assistance and is seeking work needs to understand that many jobs today require such testing as a condition of employment. If someone is abusing the system and taking advantage of taxpayers, then I feel like we should know about it and be in a position to deny benefits.”
While in Raleigh, Sen. McLaurin was appointed by Senator Phil Berger, President Pro Tempore to the following interim committees: Joint Legislative Energy Policy Committee, Joint Legislative Workforce Development System Reform Committee, Environmental Review Committee, and Joint Legislative Economic Development Committee. “I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to provide oversight, create jobs, and sustain long term economic growth for our rural district and for our great state. ”
Senator McLaurin, a small businessman and former Rockingham Mayor, is serving his first term in the N.C. Senate (District 25) for Anson, Richmond, Rowan, Scotland, and Stanly Counties.
Office of Sen. Gene McLaurin
1118 Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601
