From the desk of Senator Kirk deViere

Governor Cooper Announces Easing of COVID Restrictions as North Carolina Trends Stabilize Key indicators used to guide decisions throughout pandemic show state’s trends are moving in the right direction

As North Carolina’s numbers continue to show improvement and vaccine distribution increases, Governor Roy Cooper announced today that the state will carefully ease some of its COVID-19 restrictions. Executive Order No. 195 will take effect February 26th at 5 pm and will expire March 26th at 5 pm.    Today’s Executive Order lifts the Modified Stay at Home Order requiring people to stay at home and businesses to close to the public between 10 pm and 5 am. The number of people who may gather indoors will increase from 10 to 25, while 50 remains the limit for outdoors.   The curfew on the sale of alcohol for onsite consumption will be moved from 9 pm to 11 pm. Some businesses, including bars and amusement parks, will now be open for patrons indoors as they adhere to new occupancy restrictions. Many businesses, venues and arenas will have increased occupancy both indoors and outdoors.    Executive Order No. 195 has two general categories of occupancy restrictions: 30% capacity and 50% capacity. Because indoor spaces have a higher risk of spread for COVID-19, indoor facilities in the 30%-occupancy category may not exceed two hundred fifty (250) people per indoor room or indoor space.    30% Capacity Limit (may not exceed 250-persons in indoor spaces) Bars, Meeting, Reception, and Conference Spaces, Lounges (including tobacco) and Night Clubs, Indoor areas of Amusement Parks, Movie Theatres, Entertainment facilities (e.g., bingo parlors, gaming establishments)Sports Arenas and Fields*Venues*Indoor event venues with more than 5,000 seats may be excepted from the 250 person limit if they follow additional safety measures up to 15% capacity.   50% Capacity Limit  Restaurants Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries, Fitness and Physical Activity Facilities (e.g., gyms, bowling alleys, rock climbing facilities)Pools, Museums and Aquariums, Retailers, Outdoor areas of Amusement Parks, Salons, Personal Care, Tattoo Parlors, Safety protocols such as masks, social distancing and frequent handwashing will continue to be important as people adjust to the new order, health officials said.    Today marks the first day of eligibility for teachers to receive vaccination as the state begins to expand access to group 3 essential workers. Due to manufacturers’ shipping delays caused by inclement weather, DHHS continues to work with providers to administer both last week’s shipment and this week’s shipment this week and continue to exhaust first dose supply before next week’s shipment arrives.   Read Executive Order No. 195.   Read Frequently Asked Questions.

North Carolina House of
Representatives
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Marshall Conrad
Date: February 16, 2021
NC House Members File Bill to Eliminate Tax on Military Retirement Pay
RALEIGH, N.C. – State Representatives John Szoka (R-Cumberland), John Bell (R-Wayne), John Bradford (RMecklenburg) and Diane Wheatley (R-Cumberland) filed House Bill 83 late yesterday to eliminate the income tax on
the retirement pay of military service members. “We want to make North Carolina the most veteran-friendly state in the nation and encourage our military members to stay in our state and move here upon retirement,” said Representative John Szoka. “Many other states provide tax relief for veterans, and with passage of this bill, we can make our state more competitive nationally.”

North Carolina is home to some of America’s most premier military bases, including the largest in the world, Fort Bragg. This bill would allow retired service members to deduct any retirement pay they receive from the federal
government. It would also allow survivors of service members to deduct any survivor benefits they received from the federal government.

“These men and women dedicated their lives to serving our nation, and this is a small but important sign of appreciation for their service and sacrifice,” said Representative Bell. “In North Carolina, we strive to be the
‘Nation’s Most Military Friendly State’ and this bill marks an important step in upholding our commitment and
support for those who serve.”

“I am proud to join my colleagues today in filing this bill to eliminate the income tax on military retirement pay,” said Representative Bradford. “This legislation shows our strong support for those who serve in uniform and retire in North Carolina. It is time we eliminate the tax on the pensions of military retirees, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to make sure this important bill becomes law.”
“Our armed forces retirees have sacrificed much for this country,” said Representative Wheatley. “As a Representative of Cumberland County, I know how strong our veteran community is in North Carolina.

This bill would provide tax relief to those who have spent their careers in service to this country and make North Carolina a destination for retired service men and women everywhere.

“With around 100,000 retired military service members in North Carolina and many more retiring across our nation each year, veteran recruitment is an essential component of developing North Carolina’s talented workforce,” said
Representative Szoka. “Our retired service men and women possess traits from their military training that are invaluable assets to the North Carolina’s labor force, and as a state, it is essential that we position ourselves to be a destination of choice after their service to our nation.”

The Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Division of Water Resources will conduct an online public hearing February 2, 2021 on proposed revisions to the N.C. Groundwater Quality Standards. Written public comments are being accepted through March 16, 2021. State law requires a review of its groundwater water quality standards and if necessary, to propose revisions based on new or updated health and toxicological information.

What: Public Hearing about proposed revisions to the N.C. Groundwater Standards

When: 6 p.m., Tuesday, February 2, 2021 (attendees and participants may join starting at 5:45 p.m.)

Where: To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the public hearing will be held remotely.

To Join: WebEx link

WebEx Password: jPeFQgQ3n85

Join by Phone: 1-415-655-0003; access code: 178 659 9930

Please register to join and indicate whether you wish to speak during the hearing by visiting: DEQ.nc.gov.

Groundwater Quality Standards are established to protect the state’s groundwater. They are the maximum allowable concentrations resulting from any discharge of contaminants to North Carolina’s land and water. The levels established are values that do not pose a threat to human health, or that would otherwise render the groundwater unsuitable for its intended best usage as an existing or potential source of drinking water supply for humans.

The proposed changes and revisions include:

• adoption of a groundwater quality standard for 44 substances with established interim maximum allowable concentrations, some with revised values;
• addition of a groundwater quality standard for three substances (2,6-dinitrotoluene, strontium, and total PFOA and PFOS) without established interim maximum allowable concentrations;
• organization of the groundwater standards into a table;
• addition of Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Numbers (CASRNs) for the groundwater standards;
• the removal of synonyms;
• a change in some units of measure to parts per billion (µg/L), when appropriate;
• addition of rule text to add a notification process for the establishment of an interim maximum allowable concentration; and
• addition of rule text to clarify the triennial review process.

For additional information on these proposed changes, please visit the Division of Water Resources’ Water Planning webpage.

All comments must be received by March 16, 2021 to be considered in the review of the proposed changes. Written comments may be submitted by email to GWTriRevComments@ncdenr.gov or by USPS to:

Bridget Shelton
NC DEQ-DWR Planning Section
1611 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1611

The Division plans to present the proposed changes for adoption to the Environmental Management Commission at the May 2021 meeting. If approved by the Commission, the changes would go into effect July 1, 2021.