DUE PROCESS BILL PASSES HOUSE J-I COMMITTEE

Thursday, April 26, 2007 marked a historic date for PBA and our legislative history.

Since 1989 NCPBA has sponsored or supported many pieces of legislation, 38 of which have passed into law.

However, our due process legislation for law enforcement officers, commonly referred to by others as the police officers bill of rights and actually entitled The Law Enforcement Officer Discipline Act, has been the only piece of PBA legislation that has never passed out of committee, until now.

Losing by many close votes in the past, twice by only a one vote margin, HB 980 the Law Enforcement Officer Discipline Act received a favorable report from the House Judiciary I Committee.

Passing by the same one vote margin that the bill had several times met defeat, HB 980 is now on track to be heard by the full House floor very soon.

A strong showing of PBA members, some traveling as far away as Charlotte and Asheville came to the Legislature in Raleigh to help make this historical vote possible.

PBA would like to extend special thanks to member Tim Blakeley, who despite a close family member’s funeral held the same day made the trip to Raleigh to fight for this bill because he believes so strongly in our efforts and also Police Expert Witness/Consultant Melvin Tucker who traveled from Tennessee to speak for PBA in support of this bill.

PBA is grateful to Primary Sponsors Representative Grier Martin and Representative Paul “Skip” Stam and the other House J-I Committee members who voted for HB 980. They are Representatives Angela Bryant, Larry Hall, Pricey Harrison, Verla Insko and House J-I Committee Chair Deborah Ross, whose yes vote broke a 6-6 tie. Call and thank these outstanding Legislators that did the right thing despite relentless and unreasonable pressure by certain management groups.

Representatives who voted against HB 980 are Melanie Goodwin, Bonner Stiller, John Blust, Debbie Clary, George Holmes, and Annie Mobley. More on these legislators and their reason for voting against due process for law enforcement officers will follow in the near future.

Now is the time for you, your family, friends and any law enforcement supporter to call their legislators and tell them to support HB 980.

As always, we will keep you posted.