Eminent Domain in News Again
“It was seven years ago when Republican Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam, then a member of the minority party in the legislature, first introduced a bill that would allow voters to amend the state constitution to bar local governments from using the power of condemnation for economic development purposes.
Stam filed that legislation soon after the landmark Kelo v. City of New London, Conn., decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld the use of eminent domain for economic development purposes.
Republicans are currently in their third year of control of the North Carolina General Assembly.
Two years ago, the House again approved a proposed constitutional amendment to block government condemnations for economic development purposes. The Senate again failed to take up the legislation.
Now, the House is at it again.
A House committee recently approved a measure that would put the issue before voters in 2014. The full House is likely to approve the bill next week.
As for the Senate, its course remains to be seen.
It is worth pointing out that governors cannot use veto power to block proposed constitutional amendments, so there was nothing to prevent the Senate from putting the measure on the ballot in 2012.”
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Mooneyham, Scott. The Pilot 13 February 2013.