The North Carolina legislative session is underway, and the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance will continue to advance the legislative priorities of the region’s business community. Key priorities this session include transportation infrastructure, child care, talent attraction and retention, tax policy, and legal liability reform.
Earlier this year, the CLT Alliance convened diverse stakeholders for Advocacy in Action events with Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger and Speaker of the House Tim Moore. Another program featured Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue, and House Democratic Leader Robert Reives. These events highlighted key CLT Alliance priorities, including infrastructure, child care, and workforce, and gave legislators an opportunity to dialogue with the business community regarding expectations for the legislative session. The CLT Alliance Advocacy Committee also met with Senate Majority Leader Paul Newton at NASCAR’s production facility in Concord for a discussion on his session outlook.
Throughout the short session, the CLT Alliance will advocate for mobility solutions for the region, seeking momentum for necessary authorizations from Raleigh. There also will be a focus on raising the caps on public-private partnerships to offer a diverse set of methods for delivering critical infrastructure projects.
Child care solutions will also be a critical focus area, with efforts directed toward identifying ways to expand accessibility and affordability of child care for working parents. This may involve making existing programs more efficient and accessible, as well as expanding funding for providers and parents.
The CLT Alliance also will support training opportunities for individuals at all levels, with a focus on apprenticeships and vocational training, K-12, and higher education. This could consist of education funding, licensing reform, increasing the teacher talent pool and strategies to retain teachers.
Advocacy for further reduction or elimination of the franchise tax also will be a priority. The franchise tax penalizes businesses that invest in the state. Lastly, the CLT Alliance will advocate for a fair legal climate, a key component that makes North Carolina the top state for business.
For a comprehensive view of the 2024 CLT Alliance legislative agenda, click here.
Photo Courtesy of Clayton Henkel
