THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 10, 1995 TAG: 9503100331
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
A House bill giving legislators more control over rules governing marine fisheries, coastal development and other regulations will face tough opposition in the Senate.
Senate leader Marc Basnight, a Manteo Democrat, says he will oppose any bill that gives the General Assembly final authority over regulatory decisions.
``The problem with the legislature making decisions is that we become very political,'' Basnight said in an interview this week.
During a news conference in January before the start of the legislative session, Basnight said sweeping regulatory reform would be a top priority this year for him and the Senate. He also said that the legislature might approve a moratorium on new rules, similar to the one now in effect for marine fisheries regulations.
But Basnight said this week that he came to oppose the measure because of concerns about the environment raised by opponents of legislative review.
``I can tell you with no uncertainty that we're not going to do anything that will damage the environment,'' he said.
Basnight said, however, that lawmakers do need to consider ways to reduce regulations that aren't effective and that unduly hinder those affected.
Robert V. Lucas, chairman of the state Marine Fisheries Commission and a vocal opponent of legislative review of rules, said he is pleased with Basnight's opposition.
A bill requiring the additional review is under debate in a state House judiciary committee, but its members are divided over who should provide that layer.
The bill initially seemed likely to sail through the committee last week after lobbyists for the state's businesses and industries said it would lead to a more careful review of proposed rules before they become law.
Lucas and others said that requiring the Assembly to review and approve fisheries rules before implementation would devastate the state's marine fish populations and to the environment.
A compromise bill increases the authority of the existing Rules Review Commission and omits the requirement that the legislature approve any new rules before implementation. It was presented to the House Judiciary I Committee this week by its sponsor, E. David Redwine, a Brunswick County Democrat.
But it met opposition from committee members who favored more legislative scrutiny.
A three-member subcommittee, appointed to rework the bill, could report to the House judiciary committee as early as next week. by CNB