Darren Jackson
ISSUES
Since being appointed and sworn in January, 2009, it has been my privilege to serve as the North Carolina Representative for District 39. From looking at this site, I hope you will come to a few conclusions about me and what I stand for. First, my principals and my constituents guide me. Hopefully, that is obvious from how I have voted on important issues. Sometimes, I have voted with my party, other times, I have not. The second conclusion I hope you can see is that I believe that our state government can be a force for good in the lives of the people of this state. This belief has been formed by my own life experiences.
I wanted to serve in the NC House to work to make our state government better so that its resources are spent wisely to protect and improve the lives of all citizens. To me, the best way to say "thank you" for all I have been given, is to work in the State House on behalf of everyone of District 39. As long as I am there, I promise to work to strengthen our public schools, create good-paying jobs for working families, keep our citizens safe, treat our state employees fairly, and to advocate for the local issues brought to me by our local towns and citizens.
Strengthening our Public Schools HB 37,Pay Teachers the ABC Bonuses They Earned- I co-sponsored this bill to pay teachers the ABC bonuses they had earned. I think living up to promises made is important in our efforts to recruit and retain good teachers. HB156, Community College Minority Male Mentoring Funds - I co-sponsored a bill to appropriate from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the 2009-2010 fiscal year and the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) in recurring funds for the 2010-2011 fiscal year to continue and expand the minority male mentoring program. Criminal Justice HB237, Equity Formula Study Commission-I co-sponsored this bill to study how transportation funding is distributed thought out the state. Wake County is known as a donor county and I believe the formula should be changed to reflect the amount of gas taxes residents of Wake County pay. Because of this unfairness, I voted against putting a floor on the state gas tax. Local Issues
The quality of everyone's life can be improved through education. Therefore, our public schools are my number one priority. I was educated in the same eastern Wake public schools that my children now attend. No matter where you live, a quality education is the key to a better tomorrow. Our tax dollars should be spent wisely; although all areas were cut in this tough budget year, I voted to prevent such drastic cuts to public education.
My commitment to the public schools in District 39 did not just start upon my appointment. Instead, for years, I have worked to improve our local public schools as a member of numerous PTA's, a Communities in School mentor for several years at East Wake Middle School, and as a 10 year volunteer with the East Wake Education Foundation where I have severed as Vice-President for several years. That involvement is why I was endorsed by the NCAE and Wake NCAE in prior campaigns.
HB88, Healthy Youth Act- All students will now be exposed to both abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education. The law also allows parents to remove their children from any portion of the course.
HB509, Funds for Academically Gifted Children- I co-sponsored this bill that appropriated funds to provide for the needs of academically or intellectually gifted children, helping to ensure these children receive the enhanced educational resources and opportunity necessary for them to earn the highest education achievements possible.
HB548, School Violence Protection Act- Bill intended to prevent all forms of violence in schools to protect the most vulnerable children and provide guidelines for teachers, administrators, and parents on how to prevent and protect children from bullying and harassment. I spoke in favor and voted for this bill.
HB1306 and HB593, Restore Flexibility to School Calendar- I co-sponsored a bill that would allow local school districts to start school earlier than August 25 so that students could take exams prior to Christmas break, which would allow students more access to December graduation and taking classes in conjunction with local community colleges.
HB223,No High School Graduation Project- I voted to end the mandatory project. It has been demonstrated that the existence of this additional requirement has exacerbated the dropout problem amongst already at-risk students. The new law also directs the Program Evaluation Division of the General Assembly to study the cost and effectiveness of requiring a high school graduation project.
As an attorney for the last 13 years and now as a legislator, I consider criminal justice one of the most important issues we face as a community. In the short time I have been in the General Assembly, I have worked to keep our communities safe, while making our criminal justice system responsive, equitable, and effective. This year in the budget, I worked to make sure that funding was included for 2 assistant DA positions, 1 victim witness coordinator, 3 magistrates, 1 DA investigator, and 2 judges that had been originally removed in the Senate's proposed budget.
HB 1117, Sex Offenders- Under the legislation, the Division of Motor Vehicles could not issue or renew the driver’s license needed to transport children to registered sex offenders.
HB209, Taking Indecent Liberties- Taking indecent liberties with a student was added to the list of sex offenses that require registration under the sex offender and public protection registration program.
SB461, The North Carolina Racial Justice Act- I voted for this legislation. The intent of the law is to provide fair imposition of capital sentences by lessening the change that the death penalty will be imposed based on race. The law applies retroactively for the first year.
HB1185,Habitual DWI License Reinstatement- I voted again this bill that will allow habitual DWI offenders to petition to get a driver's license after ten years if they meet certain conditions.
HB440, The Nicolas Adkins School Bus Safety Act- The new law allows evidence from automated camera and video recording systems to be used to detect and prosecute drivers who pass stopped school buses. The law is named for a 16-year-old student killed in
SB464, Prevent Racial Profiling- This bill is intended to help prevent racial profiling by law officers by changing how they collect traffic statistics. The legislation also provides that when a law enforcement officer arrests an adult who is supervising minor children, the minors must be placed with a responsible adult approved by the parent or guardian or with social workers if an adult is not readily available.
HB1489, Ignition/Interlock Required all DWI Offenders- I co-sponsored this bill that would require all DWI offenders to have an ignition interlock installed in their vehicles before driving under a limited driving privilege.
SB1017, Anti-Identity Theft-I voted for this bill that will expand the state's Anti-Identity Theft Protection Laws so that consumers can now be issued a security credit freeze at no cost. The law will do a number of other things as well, including authorizing certain court officials to remove Social Security numbers from documents on their web sites and compelling businesses and government agencies to report all security breaches.
Working Families
In today's current economic climate, providing relief for working families who are struggling is essential. I am a small business owner here in the District and know the challenges facing small businesses. As your State House Representative, I will continue to work to enhance our long-term economic prospects. In order to do this, we must continue to strengthen our public schools, community colleges, and universities. We must improve our public transportation system. We must continue to support small business, especially working to help them maintain health insurance coverage for their employees in light of double-digit health care inflation.
HB 148/SB 151, Congestion Relief-This bill gives transportation authorities the power, with voter approval, to levy a 1/2% local sales tax to be used only for public transportation systems. (Applies to Triangle Transit and Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation). I voted for this bill as part of my effort to support efforts to get bus service for eastern Wake County started and to later expand feeder routes. Bus service should be starting this fall and hopefully will open up the job market for residents of District 39.
HB157, Continue Study/Rural Internet Access-I co-sponsored this bill that would consider whether rural areas have adequate access to high-speed Internet and offer proposals to assure access to high-speed Internet in rural areas.
HB1523, S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act-North Carolinians who have been victimized by predatory mortgage lenders will be helped under a new state law. The primary intent of the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act is to ensure that mortgage loan originators operate ethically. The legislation gives the Commissioner of Banks broad authority to enforce this law.
HB806, HOA Changes- Homeowners associations are now required to make reasonable and diligent efforts to locate and notify a lot owner prior to filing a claim of lien for assessments -- the legal right to keep or sell somebody else's property as security for a debt.
HB1508, Statutory Homestead Exemption- this exemption was increased significantly under this bill. The legislation applies to an individual debtor’s aggregate interest up to $35,000 in value, in real property or personal property that the debtor or a dependent of the debtor uses as a residence. Previously, the Exemption applied only to the aforementioned asset with a value of less than $18,500.
HB212, Pilot Health Insurance-Counties interested in establishing health insurance pilot projects to provide a model for affordable employer-based health insurance was authorized by this legislation.
HB817/SB1019, Financial Literacy Council-North Carolina will establish a Financial Literacy Council to coordinate and expand the financial education available to all.
I am proud to have been born and raised in eastern Wake County. District 39 has always been and will continue to be home. Because I live here in the district, work in the district, go to church here in the district, and am active in this district, I am dedicated to our community and to being an effective voice in the General Assembly on behalf of all residents of District 39. To that end, I have worked with the local town elected officials and managers on their requests for local legislation during my first term.
HB 302, Wake School Board Elections-Bill provided for a change to the manner in which members of the School Board for Wake County are elected. Would make four seats elected on an “at large” basis. I worked to oppose this bill at the request of Knightdale, Wendell, Zebulon, and Raleigh due to the fact that all the eligible voters from Wendell, Knightdale, and Zebulon combined do not equal that of Cary or Apex and therefore this bill would weaken our communities’ voice on the Board. I worked to make sure this bill never made it out of committee. Even our local paper had an editorial concerning the bill. http://www.easternwakenews.com/opinion/story/3866.html.
HB 448/SB452, Make Overgrown Vegetation Law Statewide-I submitted this bill, which simply dealt with how chronic violators of vegetation ordinances are dealt with, at the request of several municipalities in Wake County. The Senate version passed both houses and is now law.
HB388, Campaign Disclosure-I worked on this bill at the request of one municipality to make sure that an exemption remained for local races. That exemption passed as part of another bill.
HB193, Electronic Notice of Public Hearings-I co-sponsored this bill at the request of Wendell. The town wanted to be able to advertise public notices on its website instead of being required to run ads in the local papers as a way of saving money. The bill passed in my Local Government Committee but later failed.
HB743, Wendell ETJ Extension Authorized-This bill allows for Wendell to expand, with the approval of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, its ETJ between the historic town limits and Wendell Falls.
SB 287, State Health Plan- I voted against the changes made to the State Health Plan. These changes cut benefits and raised the premium for dependent coverage. As coverage continues to become more expensive, only those that are the most unhealthy will choose to maintain coverage which will in turn lead to increasing premiums. Instead, changes need to be made to reduce the premiums so that the plan can attract younger, more healthy families into the plan.
State Budget- I worked with SEANC to support a budget that included no involuntary furloughs, no pay cuts, and no freezes on longevity pay. In fact, bills to allow involuntary furloughs and to change how employees are treated while under suspension never made it out of the State Government committee.
HB 439, State Health Plan/Taxpayer Recovery Act-A bill to reduce the financial loss to counties and cities in regards to EMS service and the State Health Plan.
Click here for an entire list of bills Darren has sponsored or co-sponsored.
Triangle Labor Council NC Police Benevolent Association Fraternal Order of Police
Raleigh Professional Firefighter's Association North Carolina Association of Educators
Wake NCAE News and Observer Independent Weekly
Darren Jackson | 301-N Legislative Office Building | Raleigh, NC 27601-1096 | 919-733-5974 | darren.jackson@ncleg.net
