2021 Legislative Priorities

The Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce requests that the General Assembly address the following issues during the 2021 Legislative Session:

2021 Critical Priority

  • The General Assembly should fully fund a modern, properly equipped medical education and research facility for the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.

Business Climate

  • Maintain North Carolina’s business-friendly environment by protecting the state’s stable tax sources without disproportionately burdening particular industries, individuals, or employers.
  • Work to develop a commonsense approach to regulations that brings together all sides of an issue as a means of ensuring undue harm on employers and workforce; and
  • Replace the current nonprofit sales tax refund system with a sales tax exemption, thereby eliminating unnecessary administrative burdens.

Transportation & Infrastructure

  • Allocate necessary funding for the completion of vital transportation improvements throughout Pitt County;
  • Prioritize and fund necessary improvements required for completion of the I-587 spur in Greene, Nash, Pitt, and Wilson counties; and
  • Identify and fund legislation that facilitates increased preparation of stormwater and river systems for future storm impact.
  • Support broadband technology and infrastructure critical to advancing the 21st century economy across eastern North Carolina.

Education & Workforce Development

  • Protect current base funding for Pitt Community College and East Carolina University as they continue to adapt to the changing enrollment trends of the 21st century student body and meet demand for talent in Pitt County.
  • Protect K-12 public school funding.
  • Sustain funding for innovative, short duration community college programs which lead to industry recognized credentials and highly employable students.

Healthcare

  • Identify and pass a common sense, cost efficient solution to the close the healthcare coverage gap in North Carolina;
  • Encourage relevant stakeholders to work collaboratively to identify alternative cost savings and efficiencies for the State Health Plan; and
  • Encourage policymakers to ensure broad coverage and adequate reimbursement for all telemedicine services by all plans and payers through service parity and payment parity reforms.

Early Childhood Education

  • Adequately fund early childhood programs so that providers are reimbursed at full market delivery rates; and
  • Allocate additional funding to the Child Care Subsidy as a means of addressing backlog of eligible, low-income participants not being served by the program.

Payment