PFFPNC’s bill sponsors file two bills entitled Parity for First Responders this week in the Senate and House.
Senate Bill 179 was filed Monday night by Senators Brent Jackson (R-Duplin/Sampson/Johnston), Danny Britt (R-Robeson/Columbus) and Tom McInnis (R-Anson/Moore/Richmond/Scotland).
SB179 was referred to the Senate Rules and Operations of the Senate on Tuesday, which is where all bills are assigned in the Senate before getting re-referrals.
House Bill 278, the companion bill to SB179, was filed the next day by Representatives Jason Saine (R-Lincoln), Jon Hardister (R-Guilford), David Lewis (R-Harnett) and Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba).
The House referred the bill to the Finance Committee (chaired by Rep. Setzer), then Pensions and Retirement Committee and Rules and Operations of the House (a committee chaired by Rep. Lewis).
The bill was immediately greeted with cheers from fire fighters across North Carolina while the NC League of Municipalities immediately launched an email/phone campaign aimed at legislators. PFFPNC immediately responded with a social media graphic correcting misinformation and encouraging fire fighters to email their legislators.
PFFPNC Political Director Josh Smith and DVP Scott Mullins spent Wednesday and Thursday walking the halls with PFFPNC lobbyists trying to recruit co-sponsors to the bills. Click here to view the video update Smith and Mullins provided after a day of lobbying on Wednesday.
“There’s no doubt about it that we must have every PFFPNC Local in North Carolina engaged in our Parity for First Responders bills in both chambers,” said Smith. “The other side is engaged and this is going to come down to who wants it more.”
If your Local would like to be involved at the General Assembly this session, email Smith at [email protected] or Mullins at [email protected].