>> The House will come to order.

Members elect for the 2025 House of Representatives, please occupy the seats to which you have been assigned.

Visitors please repair to the lobbies and galleries.

The acting sergeant at arms will clear the aisles and close the doors.

Please be in order and silence all electronic devices.

Welcome to those assembled here today and to all those who are watching or listening.

Pursuant to law, you have assembled at this time and place for the convening of the regular 2025 Biennial Session of the General Assembly.

I request that all members elect and guests in the chamber who are able rise for the opening prayer which will be offered by the Reverend William Franklin Graham IV.

Reverend Graham, you are recognized.

>> What a special day today is, amen?

And this is a great day and we rejoice as a state.

And I just want to say on behalf of the Graham family how much we appreciate what this group of men and women have done to honor my grandfather and my grandmother, Ruth and Billy Graham.

And so you guys have always loved our family.

You've helped hide the family.

But you've also loved my family.

And we're very, very grateful for that.

And we love this great state.

And my mom's from eastern North Carolina and my dad's from western North Carolina.

I grew up in western North Carolina.

We love every side of this state.

We love the people of this state.

And I know that you do.

That's why you're doing what you're doing, because you love the people of this state.

You love serving this state.

And I just want to say thank you for loving this state.

And I just want to read a passage of scripture, then I'll pray.

It comes out of Matthew chapter 22, verse 35.

It says one of them, they're trying to trick Jesus at the time, a lawyer asked Jesus a question, testing him.

Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the law?

And Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

And this is the great and foremost commandment.

But the second is like it.

You should love your neighbor as yourself.

On these two commandments depend the whole law and the prophets.

My friends, I believe that when we put God first in our life, then it helps us to love our neighbor even better.

And this assembly is about serving neighbors.

So I want to encourage you to put God first in your life.

40, 45 years ago, three days shy of 45 years ago, is when I gave my life to Jesus Christ.

Now I'm Billy Graham's grandson, and compared to my brother Edward, compared to my brother Roy, I'm a saint.

If you've got siblings, you understand, right?

But Will Graham is a sinner.

And on January 11, 1981, right before my sixth birthday, I gave my life to Jesus Christ.

Billy Graham's grandson is a sinner.

I deserve hell.

And listen, I wasn't a murderer.

I wasn't a -- you know what my problem was?

I was a thief.

Six years old, and I'm stealing.

Brought candy out of the candy barrel, you know, at the grocery store.

Some people are laughing because it's a laugh of identification there.

I stole knives from my neighbor.

So when I was six years old, I knew that I was a bad kid.

And I needed Jesus to come into my life and change my life, and he did.

And my friends, that's what God offers all of us, is when we put him first in our life and ask -- and come to him and repent of our sin and ask him to come into our life and forgive us of our sins, he'll do it.

And he'll give us the wisdom that we ask for.

My friends, the problems of this world and the problems of this state aren't going to be solved by intellect alone.

We're going to need God's help in all this.

The needs are too great.

And so I just want to take time to pray for you right now as you serve our neighbors, as you serve each other.

I want to pray for you.

Let's pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for the men and the women in this room right now.

They carry a burden that most people will neither understand or fully appreciate.

They carry the burns on behalf of others because they feel called by you to do so.

I pray that you will give them each the wisdom to know what is right and the courage to follow your desires no matter the cost.

Lord, we confess that we do not have all the answers to the problems that we face today.

Therefore we ask of you to ordain these servants of the state, give them wisdom, and help them to lead this great state of North Carolina.

May these leaders lead by example, give them unity of heart, mind, and soul so they can effectively serve others.

Lord, we cry the same words John the Baptist, "Lord, may you increase and may I decrease."

May these legislatures fall in love with you more and each and every day.

And may they look to you to serve others more than themselves.

Lord, forgive us for loving ourselves so much.

Forgive us for thinking that we have all the answers.

Forgive us, Lord, for calling good evil and evil good.

Lord, cleanse us anew now we ask.

And Lord, thank you.

Thank you, Lord, for hearing our prayer today.

And may you bless the men and women of the 157th General Assembly of North Carolina.

Amen.

Please remain standing for the presentation of the colors by the North Carolina National Guard Honor Guard.

>> The gentleman from Avery, Representative Green, will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.

The gentleman may approach the well of the house and proceed.

>> Ladies and gentlemen, please join me for the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

>> The national anthem will be performed by Staff Sergeant Robbie McMillan of the United States Army 82nd Airborne Division.

♪ Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ O'er the ramparts we watched ♪ ♪ were so gallantly streaming And the rocket's red glare, ♪ ♪ the bombs bursting in air Gave proof through ♪ ♪ the night that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ [applause] >> The House will now proceed to organize.

Please be seated.

The Secretary of State, being the custodian of the North Carolina elections returns, has deposited with the Principal Clerk for inclusion in the journal a complete certification of all members elect as evidenced by the abstract of votes filed in that office under the hand and seal of clerks of Superior Court of several counties and the State Board of Elections.

This will eliminate the necessity of individual filing of election credentials with the Principal Clerk.

The names of persons so certified as being elected shall be called in numerical order by House districts.

Members as your name is called, please stand, answer present, and remain standing until the roll call is completed and the oath of office is administered.

The acting Reading Clerk will read the certification of election.

>> State of North Carolina, Department of the Secretary of State, the 2025 North Carolina House of Representatives, I, Elaine F. Marshall, Secretary of State of the State of North Carolina, do hereby certify that the State Board of Elections met Tuesday, the 26th day of November 2024, and the 11th day of December 2024, in accordance with Chapter 163 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, at which time the Board did open, canvas, and judiciously determine the returns of votes cast in the election held on Tuesday, November 5th, 2024, and certified to me the persons duly elected as members of the House of Representatives from the various representative districts compromising of more than one county, and all others have been certified to me in the abstracts by the State Board of Elections as having the highest number of votes cast in the elections for the House of Representatives from districts composed of one county only, for the General Assembly of 2025, to with district first, Edward C. Goodwin, second, Ray Jeffers, third, Steve Tyson, fourth, Jimmy Dixon, fifth, Bill Ward, sixth, Joe Pike, seventh, Matthew Winslow, eighth, Gloristine Brown, ninth, Timothy Reeder, tenth, John Bell, eleventh, Allison A. Dahl, twelfth, Chris Humphrey, thirteenth, Celeste Cairns, fourteenth, Wyatt Gable, fifteenth, Phillip Shepard, sixteenth, Carson Smith, seventeenth, Frank Eiler, eighteenth, Deb Butler, nineteenth, Charlie Miller, twentieth, Ted Davis, Jr., twenty-first, Yaa Lu, twenty-second, William Frison, twenty-third, Shelley Willingham, twenty-fourth, Dante Pittman, twenty-fifth, Alan Chesser, twenty-six, Donna McDowell White, twenty-seventh, Rodney D. Pierce, twenty-eighth, Larry C. Strickland, twenty-ninth, Vernetta Alston, thirtieth, Marsha Morey, thirty-first, Zach Hawkins, thirty-second, Brian Cohn, thirty-third, Monica Johnson-Hossler, thirty-fourth, Tim Longest, thirty-fifth, Mike Sheetzelt, thirty-six, Julie Von Hafen, thirty-seventh, Erin Paré, thirty-eight, Abe Jones, thirty-ninth, James Robertson, fortieth, Joe John, forty-first, Maria Srebania, forty-second, Mike Colvin, forty-third, Diane Wheatley, forty-fourth, Charles Smith, forty-fifth, Francis Vanell Jackson, forty-six, Brendan H. Jones, forty-seventh, Gerard Lorry, forty-eight, Garland E. Pierce, forty-ninth, Cynthia Ball, fiftieth, Renee A.

Price, fifty-first, John Sahls, fifty-second, Ben Moss, Junior, fifty-third, Howard Penny, fifty-fourth, Robert T. Reeves II, fifty-fifth, Mark Brody, fifty-six, Alan Boincy, fifty-seventh, Tracy Clark, fifty-eight, Amos Quick, fifty-ninth, Alan Branson, sixtieth, Cecil Brockman, sixty-first, Jerry Price, Pricey Harrison, sixty-second, John M. Blust, sixty-third, Steven Ross, sixty-fourth, Dennis Riddell, sixty-fifth, Reese Purtle, sixty-six, Sarah Crawford, sixty-seventh, Cody Honeycutt, sixty-eight, David Willis, sixty-ninth, Dean Arp, seventieth, Brian Biggs, seventy-first, Kanika Brown, seventy-second, Amber M. Baker, seventy-third, Jonathan Allman, seventy-fourth, Jeffrey Jeff Zinger, seventy-fifth, Donnie C. Lambeth, seventy-six, Harry Warren, seventy-seventh, Julia Craven Howard, seventy-eight, Neil Jackson, seventy-ninth, Kid Kidwell, seventy-eighth, Sam Watford, eighty-first, Larry W. Potts, eighty-second, Brian Echevarria, eighty-third, Grant Campbell, eighty-fourth, Jeffrey C. McNeely, eighty-fifth, Dudley Green, eighty-sixth, Hugh Blackwell, eighty-seventh, Destin Hall, eighty-eight, Mary Belk, eighty-ninth, Mitchell Smith Setzer, ninetieth, Sarah Stevens, ninety-first, Kyle Hall, ninety-second, Terry Brown, ninety-third, Ray Pickett, ninety-fourth, Blair Eddins, ninety-fifth, Richard Todd Carver, ninety-sixth, Jay Adams, ninety-seventh, Heather Rine, ninety-eighth, Beth Gardner Helfrich, ninety-ninth, Nasif Majeed, one-hundredth, Julia Greenfield, one-hundred-first, Carolyn G. Logan, one-hundred-second, Becky Carney, one-hundred-third, Laura Budd, one-hundred-fourth, Brandon Lofton, one-hundred-fifth, Tricia Ann Cotham, one-hundred-sixth, Carla Cunningham, one-hundred-seventh, Aisha O'Dood, one-hundred-eighth, John A. Torbett, one-hundred-ninth, Donnie Loftus, one-hundred-tenth, Kelly Hastings, one-hundred-eleventh, Paul Scott, one-hundred-twelfth, Jordan Lopez, one-hundred-thirteenth, Jake Johnson, one-hundred-fourteenth, Eric Eger, one-hundred-fifteenth, Lindsey Prather, one-hundred-sixteenth, Brian Turner, one-hundred-seventeenth, Jennifer Kapp Spockum, one-hundred-eighteenth, Mark Kless, one-hundred-nineteenth, Mike Clampett, one-hundred-twentieth, Carl Gillespie.

And witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affix my official seal, done in office at Raleigh, the sixth day of January 2025, Elaine F. Marshall, Secretary of State.

>> The Chair declares a quorum present.

The oath of office will be administered by Associate Justice Tamara Berenger, North Carolina Supreme Court.

Madam Justice, you are recognized.

>> Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

It is truly an honor for me to be here today.

I want to thank you all for your continued service and those of you who are new for your service in the future.

Having served in the North Carolina Senate for over six years, I watched my family as they supported me.

And so I have a special thank you for all the family members that are here because the representatives can't do what they do without your love and support.

And finally, it is such a wonderful privilege for me to be here, only in the United States, that a country girl from Cleveland County, whose first home did not have indoor plumbing, could be standing in front of this wonderful body swearing you in.

So thank you for one of the greatest honors of my lifetime.

And so having said that, just a few housekeeping items so that we get this right.

If you have a family member here holding the Bible, in a few minutes I'm going to ask you to place your left hand on that Bible and raise your right hand.

At the very beginning, I'm going to get you to state your name.

It will sound strange, but I want you to state your own name and then there are actually two paragraphs after that that I will read.

And at the end of both of those paragraphs, you will answer -- at the end I will say, "So help you God," and then you will answer either, "I do," or, "I do, so help me God."

Okay, now it's time for you to put your left hand on the Bible if you're using one and raising your right hand.

Do you state your name?

>> I do.

>> I do.

>> Solemnly swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States, that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of North Carolina and to the constitutional powers and authority which are and may be established by the government thereof, and that you will endeavor to support, maintain, and defend the Constitution of said state and not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States to the best of your knowledge and ability, so help you God.

Second paragraph, do you swear or affirm that you will well and truly execute the duties of the office of a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives according to the best of your skill and ability according to God, excuse me, according to law, so help you God?

>> I do.

>> So help me God.

>> Congratulations and thank you for your service.

[applause] >> Members of the 157th session, congratulations.

Please be seated.

Now that you have been seated as members of the House of Representatives, the first order of business is the election of a speaker from your membership.

I will now detail the voting process.

In the absence of adopted rules, the House is governed by usage, custom and precedent and the general parliamentary law.

The best evidence of what are the established usages and customs are the rules as last in effect.

Members, the following stipulations apply to this vote.

It is not in the custom of the House of Representatives to allow members to pass on a roll call vote.

The election of speaker requires a majority of the members present and voting.

An answer of present at the time your name is called is not a vote.

And no member may vote unless the member is in the chamber when the question is put to the body.

With that, I declare the floor open to nominations for speaker of the House of Representatives.

For what purpose does the gentleman from Columbus, Representative Brendan Jones, seek recognition?

>> I rise to place the name of Representative Destin C. Hall of Caldwell County before the House as a nominee for speaker of the House of Representatives.

>> The member has the floor.

You may approach the well of the House and proceed.

>> Mr.

Clerk, members of the House, and distinguished guests, it is my distinct honor today to rise to nominate Representative Hall of Caldwell County as the next speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Since first being elected, Representative Hall has demonstrated the qualities needed in a leader, a deep commitment to principles of small government, fiscal responsibility, and personal liberty, as well as an unrelenting dedication to the people of North Carolina.

As a chair of the House Rules Committee, Representative Hall has proven time and again his ability to manage the most complex and consequential legislation that comes before this body.

His steady leadership, thoughtful approach, and the ability to build consensus has made him a trusted voice in our caucus and across the aisle.

A proud son of Caldwell County, Representative Hall understands the values and the needs of everyday North Carolinians.

He brings that perspective to his work every day.

He's a problem solver who is focused on delivering results, not just for his district, but for the entire state.

Colleagues, this is a pivotal moment for North Carolina.

We need a speaker who will continue to uphold the conservative values that have driven our success while fostering collaboration to address the challenges ahead.

Representative Hall is that leader.

It's with great pride and confidence that I place the nomination in the name of Representative Destin C. Hall to serve as Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

>> For what purpose does the gentleman from Wayne, Representative Bell, seek recognition?

>> Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

I rise to second the nomination of the member from Caldwell County, Representative Destin Hall, as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

>> The member has the floor.

You may approach the well of the House and proceed.

>> Thank you, Mr.

Clerk and members.

Today I'm honored to stand before you in second the nomination of the gentleman from Caldwell County, Representative Destin Hall, to serve as the next Speaker of the House.

Representative Hall has distinguished himself as a skilled committee chair and has earned the admiration of all his colleagues.

He consistently shows respect and compassion to the members of both sides of the aisle and the other chamber.

As Speaker of the House, Representative Hall will display the ability to facilitate the business of our House in a fair and transparent manner where every voice in here is heard.

Today history will be made, and I am proud to second the nomination of my friend, Representative Destin Hall, to be the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Thank you, sir.

>> Are there further nominations?

Seeing none, the gentleman from Wayne, Representative Bell, is recognized for a motion.

>> Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

I move that nominations be closed and Representative Destin Hall be elected Speaker of the House of Representatives by acclamation.

>> Is there objection?

Hearing none, I declare the floor closed to further nominations.

As required by the North Carolina Constitution, Article VI, Section 5, all elections of the General Assembly shall be viva voce.

Members, the question before the House is the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Those in favor of the election of Destin Hall as Speaker will say aye.

Those opposed, no.

The ayes have it, and the Chair declares Representative Destin Hall duly elected as Speaker of the 2025 House of Representatives by acclamation.

Thank you.

[Applause] Congratulations, Mr. Speaker.

The oath of Speaker of the House of Representatives will be administered to Speaker Hall by Associate Justice Tamara Barringer, North Carolina Supereme Court.

>> It looks like you're all set.

Your left hand on the Bible, your right hand, please raise.

And at the end, you will answer either I do or I do so help you God.

Do you, Destin Hall, solemnly and sincerely swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States, that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the State of North Carolina and to the constitutional powers and authority which are or may be established by the government thereof, and that you will endeavor to support, maintain, and defend the Constitution of said State, not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States, to the best of your knowledge and ability, so help you God?

And do you swear or affirm that you will well and truly execute the duties of the Office of the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives according to the best of your skill and ability according to law, so help you God?

>> I do, so help me God.

>> Congratulations, Mr. Speaker.

[Applause] >> Alright, everyone can have a seat now.

I'll start by of course saying thank you to everyone here today.

I want to thank God of course first for the blessings that he's given me.

But I want to thank my wife who swore me in today or held the Bible as I was sworn in.

Thank her for putting up with the unreasonable schedule that you all in this floor know this place takes sometimes in your life.

And thankful for my family members, my grandparents here today, my friends, my mother, a bunch of folks from Caldwell County and some from Watauga County who are here today as well.

And thank you to all the members of this body for giving me the honor to serve as your speaker.

For those of you who are in your first term here today, maybe you haven't been out here on the floor yet.

You see on this video board, there are 120 names.

And your name if you're elected is up there.

If it's not, then you need to let the clerk know because something's wrong.

[LAUGH] >> But it's an incredible honor and solemn duty to have your name on that voting board.

There's almost 11 million people in this state and there are 120 folks in this body who get to make decisions about the policies of our state.

And I've served with many of you now for almost a decade.

I know what honorable and what accomplished people you all are.

And it gives me that much more gratitude that you all would allow me to serve as the Speaker of the House.

Justice Beringer said earlier, only in America could she be here today and as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

And I feel the same way because for sure, only in America could somebody with background that I have or had and a childhood that I had, lined up here in the State House.

Before that, getting an education, getting elected to the State House, and now becoming Speaker of the North Carolina House.

I grew up where I live at today, and that's in Caldwell County.

It's rural North Carolina, small town America, kind of place where the neighbors know each other and they trust each other.

And when I was growing up, like so many other small towns in North Carolina and across this country, Lenoir and Caldwell County were built on the backs of blue collar workers.

And for us, it was mostly furniture.

Across the country, it was other things like steel, other types of goods that were manufactured.

And as I was growing up in my formative years in the 90s, we saw a lot of those jobs leave and go overseas.

And for me, it left an impact in my mind of what can happen when poor government decisions are made, kind of like NAFTA.

And so I grew up thinking, I wanna make sure that that doesn't happen in the future.

Some of the folks in my hometown, like a lot of other small towns across the country, some of them never recover from some of the damage from losing those jobs, and certainly in my own family, we had some of those same challenges.

But I was blessed with wonderful grandparents who I was raised by, grandparents who taught me about what was important in life, about things like faith in God, honoring your word, making sure that you're spending your money wisely.

And they taught me about the dignity of hard work and the value of a dollar and the discipline to live with in your means.

But most importantly for me growing up, they always believed in me.

And one of the great stories that I've seen is Jim Balvano, who many of you know or knew well, you know who he is.

He's a former NC State basketball coach, he's passed away now.

He tells the story of his father when Jimmy B was at a smaller school before he was at State, he was at a school that really didn't have much chance of making the NCAA tournament, much less winning a national championship.

And he was in his first job, and he told his dad, hey, I wanna win a national championship someday.

And his dad said, well, I got my bags packed.

And so he literally put all these clothes in a suitcase.

And Jimmy B tells the story later on when State ultimately, years later, won the national championship.

That his dad was there with him in New Mexico.

And he said that he got the greatest gift that anybody could ever give him from his father, and that was that his father believed in him.

And that's what I had with my grandparents.

And that's what we need to work and make sure that every child in North Carolina has.

They've got somebody who believes in them.

Because for me, it made me believe that I could go and get an education.

Nobody in my family had been to college.

I didn't even know any lawyers growing up.

But I believed that I could go and do those things because my grandparents believed that I could and told me that I could do it.

And so it made me understand and come to realize the great catalyst that this country can be for folks when you work hard and when you don't give up.

And so our job here as members of this house is to do all that we can to make sure the people of this state also have the opportunity to experience that American dream like all of you all who have served in this body.

There are a number of folks, everyone here who's serving has had success in their careers and in their communities.

Our number one job here is to make sure that we make it as easy as possible for the folks of our state to also live that American dream.

And the first way that we go about doing that is making sure we continue to secure North Carolinians' economic future.

And thankfully, since 2011, a lot of the work has been done.

As we know, we've cut taxes again and again.

We've put more money back in the pockets of the citizens of our state.

We've got one of the best tax environments in the country.

And we're gonna continue to provide tax relief to North Carolinians.

But we've gotta do more than just cut taxes.

We've gotta be creative in how we provide economic opportunity for the citizens of our state.

We've gotta encourage business expansion and job growth in North Carolina.

The states who are around us, they're serious about job growth, and we're competing with them.

And we've gotta reject policies that make our state less attractive for business.

We've gotta build a business climate that's gonna reward high wages, high benefits, and upward mobility for everyone.

But a big part of economic success, of course, is education.

And we've gotta work to continue to invest in and nurture the education system in North Carolina.

And that's at all levels, the K-12, community college, and the university system.

North Carolina's competitive advantage really lies in our best asset, and that's our people.

We've got a great tax environment.

Other states have a good tax environment as well, but why do we continue to grow at a higher rate than almost every other state?

And the reason is our human resources, the people of this state.

We've got probably the best university system in the world, in the UNC system.

Incredible K-12 and community college system as well.

And we can't lose sight of the fact that that is North Carolina's competitive advantage.

And I'm proud of some of the things that this body's done.

During my time here over the last, this is my fifth term, so the last of the prior four terms, we've done things like expand school choice.

Letting parents decide where their children go to school.

Giving parents the opportunity to go to schools that best meet their particular child's need.

And we need to continue to expand that school choice.

We've increased funding, and we've pushed it into the classroom and away from bureaucrats in the school system.

We've increased teacher pay with every budget.

We've prioritized our community colleges and the type of programs where they partner with employers who come into areas so that folks in those areas can get high paying jobs.

We've also kept tuition incredibly low at the UNC system.

So not only is it probably the best university system in the world, it's one of the cheapest.

Therefore, it's one of the best values in the entire world right here in North Carolina.

We've gotta guard that competitive advantage that we have.

But there's more to do on top of that.

Just like it was for me with the encouragement I had from my grandparents, the most important factor in education for any child is parental involvement.

And that's not an easy problem to find a solution for.

But I can tell you this, that anything that this body can come up with and incentivize parents to be involved in their children's education, I'm for.

And we need to work to do those things because it's so critical to the success of young kids and their education.

We gotta continue to invest in our teachers.

We incentivize them to go to school here, get their educations in North Carolina, and then stay here to teach after they graduate.

Teachers are professionals.

And we ought to let them go into the classroom and teach and get the government out of their way.

Let them do the job that they were trained to do.

And last thing is especially important to me, we've gotta figure out ways to incentivize people like me from rural North Carolina who left to go get an education, incentivize them to go back to rural North Carolina.

I saw firsthand the benefits of going back to those places, cuz they're thirsting for young folks, they're thirsting for leadership, thirsting for people to be involved in those communities.

Many of you all in this body, as I look out today, serve in rural North Carolina.

And you know what I'm talking about, the difficulty in getting young folks to come back.

We've gotta incentivize those folks to come back.

The other thing we've gotta do very quickly and work hard at is we've gotta lower the cost of living.

The fact is right now in North Carolina, just like so many places across the country, folks' budgets are tight.

Their groceries and gas and their other goods have gone up.

And we've gotta do what we can at our level to help meet the needs and try to lower at least, lower the rising inflation in our country.

And we do that by things like helping with child care.

We do that by working to lower energy costs and healthcare costs in our state.

Of course, it's a federal government issue in many ways, but we have a role to play.

And I think that this body needs to be laser focused on that from the very beginning.

We've gotta offer some real solutions to it to the extent we can do that on the state level.

And with all that said, our agenda here, it's not gonna matter very much unless we do the number one thing that government has to do, and that's to keep our people safe.

I'm proud of some of the things this body's done over the course of the last several years.

We passed a bill that was actually my bill last session requiring our law enforcement to cooperate with immigration authorities at the federal level to help deport illegal aliens who are committing serious crimes in our state.

You've seen us crack down on drug dealers who are selling drugs that kill people.

And we've even amended the Constitution to make sure that the victims of crime also have rights just like those who have been charged with crimes.

And we've gotta continue to enact those policies to meet the number one obligation of government.

And so I hope that we'll work with the incoming administration in Washington, crack down on gang activity and trafficking and trafficking in drugs that are devastating so many communities across North Carolina.

And we need to support law enforcement.

We need to give them the funding and education that they need, legal protection, and recognize them for the heroes that they are.

And then finally, let's spend the dollars that we need to keep our schools safe.

Let's make sure every school has a resource officer, invest in technology to make sure that when our kids go to school, they're safe there.

I've talked so far a lot about the issues that face the entire state, but I do wanna make one thing clear.

The number one priority of this body, starting today, because today is day one, is doing all we can to rebuild Western North Carolina.

To my friends in the mountains in the west, know that you're not forgotten.

I know that this body is going to put you all as the number one priority, our number one fix as we come in this session.

We're working on some of those things now.

It's gonna be a long road to recovery.

There's more than $50 billion probably in damage, but this body is committed to doing everything possible to build back Western North Carolina and build it back stronger than before.

Now I'm gonna talk to my colleagues in the house a little bit.

Another lesson I learned from my grandparents was that we should always treat each other with respect.

Everything we do in our life is about relationships, your relationship with God, with your family, with your folks at work.

And you all who have served here know well how important it is to have relationships when you wanna get things done in this body.

So let's respect each other as we debate in this people's house.

To my democratic friends, I know from time to time we've had some minor disagreements on certain policy items.

>> [LAUGH] >> But what I will tell you is my commitment to you will always be that where we do disagree, I'll do it civilly in a way that honors the people who sent us all here to act on their behalf.

Cuz I know that we all, on both sides of this chamber, we all want the best for the folks of North Carolina, and I genuinely believe that.

Sometimes we disagree about how to get there, and that's okay.

That's one of the parts of representative democracy for all its ills.

But what we have to do is respect one another and make sure that we're not questioning motives, that we have a good and robust debate, let the votes fall where they may.

And as I close, I wanna say this to the young people of this state, because I'm told I'm on the younger side of speakers in our state.

And I see Speaker Tillis Moore and Brubaker here today.

I'm told that the average age of our speakers has gone down by a few years today.

>> [LAUGH] >> But according to some of the liberal trolls on Twitter, the IQ average hasn't changed, so you're safe there.

>> [LAUGH] >> But to the young folks of this state, I wanna speak to you to tell you, I know what it feels like to look out and say, well, I don't have trust in government.

Because I sort of felt the same way growing up.

I felt like in many ways, our politicians had failed us in my part of the world.

And so I didn't know if I wanted to be involved.

And eventually I realized that if I wanted things to change, I had to be involved.

And I moved back home to my hometown.

And of course, when I started running, there were some folks who disagreed with me, plenty of doubters.

And people who said I was too young to run and that I ought to wait.

Thankfully, I was hardheaded enough to not believe them.

And it's turned out okay for me this far.

But you all can do that too.

And in every part of this state, it's thirsting for younger folks to get involved.

It's incredibly important that they do that.

If you do get involved, you'll find that you have unique opportunity.

And that's what's so unique about this country is that every person has the ability to get involved and truly make a difference.

You all who serve in this body, you know well, as you serve here, you get to make a difference here every day.

You get to write laws, but it's not only that, you get to help your constituents every day.

With everyday problems that they have with state government and federal government.

Sometimes problems they have with their neighbors and sometimes when they need a ride.

But you're here to help.

And the young folks of this state can do the same thing.

And I can tell you that in ways probably not a lot of people can.

And ultimately, that's my commitment to the state as a speaker.

I'll focus on the things that matter, on the things that I learned from my grandparents, and on the things every North Carolinian needs to thrive in our great state.

So I'll close by saying thank you all for giving me the incredible honor to serve as the Speaker of the House.

I'm looking forward to working with each and every one of you in the upcoming session.

And congratulations to you all for coming back.

Thank you to the family members who again are lending you to us for unreasonable amounts of time.

And we're gonna try to make sure that time commitment is not as much as it has been in the past.

Thank you all for having me.

[APPLAUSE] >> The next order of business is the adoption of temporary rules.

Gentleman from Wayne County, Representative Bell is recognized.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I've placed a resolution with the clerk for consideration by the body.

>> The clerk will file the resolution and sign a number.

House Resolution 1, the clerk will read.

>> Representative Bell, House Resolution 1, a house resolution adopting the temporary rules of the House of Representatives for the 2025 regular session, the House resolves.

>> Gentleman from Wayne, Representative Bell is recognized to explain the resolution.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members, what we've put before you today is temporary rules to get us organized so we can move forward.

I wanna thank Representative Robert Reeves for working with us and the conversations that we've had up to this point will continue as we establish the official rules of the House when we come back into session.

Nothing really has changed in the temporary rules.

One thing that you will notice would be the streamlining of the bill filing deadlines to now, instead of having four or five different deadlines, we're gonna have two, which should make it very clear.

So that way no one gets confused and also it allows more time for committees to vet bills in between the bill filing deadlines and crossover.

So I ask that you support the resolution before you.

Thank you.

>> Members, is there discussion or debate on the resolution?

Seeing none, question for the House is the adoption of House Resolution 1.

Those in favor will vote aye, those opposed will vote no.

Clerk will open the vote.

Representative Goodwin, does anyone wish to be recorded?

Representative Helfrich, wish to be recorded?

Clerk will lock the machine and record the vote.

104 having voted in the affirmative and 11 in the negative.

House resolution is passed at second reading without objection.

We'll be read a third time.

Strike that, House resolution does not have to be read a third time.

Members, the next item of business is the election of a speaker pro tempore from the membership.

I now declare the floor open to nominations for speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives.

The member from Dayton County, Representative Howard, is recognized to state her purpose.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I wish to rise and place the name of Mitchell Setzer as nominee for speaker pro temp.

>> Representative Howard, you have the floor.

You may approach the well of the house and proceed.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members that are here today.

We appreciate the members of the court and our special guest and our fellow representatives.

It's certainly my pleasure and honor to nominate the gentleman from Catawba.

The Honorable Mitchell S. Setzer for speaker pro temp of the North Carolina House of Representatives for the 2025-26 biennium of this general assembly.

It's without hesitation or mental reservation.

I can truly say that Mitchell Setzer is the right choice to become the speaker pro temp of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

We all know that Mitchell is a statesman.

He's a skilled businessman.

But most importantly, he's a valued friend.

His service over his 13 terms here in the house has certainly distinguished him as a uniquely gifted leader with the vision we need to improve the lives of all North Carolinians.

As representatives, our duty to those North Carolinians who elected us is inherent in the title that we all now hold.

It is humbling privilege for me to stand here today with the other representatives of this great chamber and elect our speaker pro temp.

As each of us were chosen by the voters of our respective districts to be here and speak for them in this great body.

It is also our duty to elect a speaker pro temp who will continue to lead us forward.

And I believe that there is no one more capable than Mitchell Setzer.

Similar to my years in service here, Mitchell has been here many years.

Mitchell was elected to the house in 1999.

And he's a product of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Mitchell knows that constantly improving our education system and our state economy are the top priorities for most parents and taxpayers in our state.

And that's exactly what he will do as speaker pro temp.

More importantly than what he has already done, Mitchell has shown a vision and a dedication to put the priorities of our people first.

Improving their quality of life and forge a successful path forward for our state and for the rare ability to create consensus out of disaccord.

We may represent different districts and we hold competing values and views about the best path forward for our state.

But we all speak for our constituents and we care deeply about serving our neighbors and those who are the most vulnerable.

Mitchell sets or will be a great speaker pro temp because he cares deeply about the places we all call home.

The duties we have to our constituents and working together to effectively represent all of the citizens of this great state.

As our speaker pro temp Mitchell sets or will continue to be a man who listens first so he can serve others best.

Mitchell can find common ground not only among members of this house, but also members of the Senate, the governor, and others in public service concerning the key issues facing North Carolina.

He will always work for the benefit and betterment of our state and our citizens.

And there is still much work to be done.

Mr. Speaker and fellow representatives are proudly placed into nomination for speaker pro tem of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

The gentleman and my friend from Catawba, the Honorable Mitchell S. Setzer That's our thank you, Mr. Speaker.

>> Thank you, Representative Howard.

The member from Stanley Representative Honeycut is recognized to state his purpose.

>> I rise the second denomination of the member from Catawba County representative Mitchell Setzer as speaker pro tem.

>> Member has the floor you may approach the well and proceed.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker, members of the house.

I will keep my comments brief as we do have family and friends here with us today that are eager to congratulate all of us.

I'm going to expand on a few topics that representative Howard mentioned.

Willingness to help and serve others.

Representative sets are in my 10 years of knowing him.

I have watched him help and serve countless others in his community, as well as in this chamber.

I've watched him smile, laugh, cry and mourn with many members here and many individuals at home.

Honesty in a true leader, you want someone who is honest and truthful.

In my 10 years of knowing him, I have never heard anybody say, I don't know what Mitchell was really thinking there if he was being honest or not.

[LAUGH] There's no doubt he is an honest human being.

Another crucial thing that he has is institutional knowledge.

Representative Howard mentioned that he's been elected here since 1999.

I'm not trying to question her, but with my research I did this morning, I found out that his first term of office, Abraham Lincoln was only three year old.

So he has been here a long, long time and representative Howard don't laugh I looked you up as well so.

[LAUGH] No, he is a man full of institutional knowledge that I would encourage everyone who don't know him to get to know him.

He will take these three points along with willing to make hard decisions.

He will work with the majority leader, minority leader, Mr. Speaker, everyone here to make North Carolina a brighter and more prosperous North Carolina.

And it is an honor to second the motion for representative Mitchell Smith Setzer to be the next speaker pro tem of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back.

>> Members, are there further nominations?

Seeing none, the gentleman from Wayne, Representative Bell is recognized for a motion.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I move the nominations be closed and Representative Mitchell Setzer be elected speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives by acclamation.

>> Is there objection?

Hearing none, I declare the floor closed to further nominations.

The question for the House is the election of speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives.

Those in favor of the election of Representative Setzer as speaker pro tempore will say aye.

>> Aye.

>> Those opposed, no.

Ayes have it, and the chair declares Representative Setzer duly elected as speaker pro tempore of the 2025 House of Representatives by acclamation.

[APPLAUSE] >> The chair directs the following members to escort the Honorable Mitchell Setzer to the well of the House.

Representative Bluss, chair.

Representative Adams, Carney, Ryan, Davis, Ross, and McNeely.

[APPLAUSE] >> Pursuant to General Statute 120-5, the Speaker of the House is authorized to administer oaths for all officers of the House.

I'll now administer the oath for Speaker Pro Tempore of the House.

>> Representative Setzer.

If you will, place your left hand on the Bible and raise your right hand.

And when I get done, if you so affirm, say yes, so help me God.

Do you, Mitchell Setzer, solemnly and sincerely swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States, that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of North Carolina and to the constitutional powers and authorities which are or may be established for the government thereof.

And that you will endeavor to support, maintain, and defend the Constitution of said state, not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States, to the best of your knowledge and ability, so help you God.

Do you swear or affirm that you will well and truly execute the duties of the office of Speaker Pro Tempore of the North Carolina House of Representatives, according to the best of your skill and ability, according to law, so help you God.

>> I will, so help me God.

>> Congratulations, my friend.

>> Thank you.

[APPLAUSE] >> Members, the next item of business is the election of the House Principal Clerk.

Strike that.

We're gonna- [LAUGH] >> Representative Setzer, I was so worried about Representative Honeycutt walking by Representative Howard after his comments that I lost focus of things.

But now the gentleman has the floor.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

And to quote the immortal words of the late Betty Rae McCain, blessed are the brief, for they shall be invited again.

[LAUGH] >> Believe you me, I've heard some long speeches in this facility.

Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen of the House, distinguished guests, and of course, my mother, thank you for being here.

It is difficult for me to comprehend and contemplate that 27 years ago, I was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives.

It's been an honor and it's been a blessing to serve this institution.

And I would like to thank each of you for your dedicated service to our state.

In addition, I would like to thank the members of the House for electing me to the office of Speaker Pro Tem.

It is a gift that I will always cherish, and I promise to fulfill the station to the best of my knowledge, strength, and ability.

Our ceremonies today are grounded in a tradition that extends from the very foundations of our state, exemplifying the hopes, values, and dreams we as North Carolinians hold dear.

North Carolinians are a proud family, and we are a family who will meet any adversity head on.

The recent trauma experienced in the West by Hurricane Helena showed the world that we can take a hit, but we will come back swinging.

And that we will also look after our own.

We are North Carolina, and we are proud and strong, and together we are unstoppable.

May we fully comprehend the impact that our actions have on others, and may every action we take as a General Assembly be prudent and beneficial to all.

Never taking for granted the sacred responsibility that has been given to us.

Our time here is limited, but the ramifications of our actions can be far reaching.

May that precept always be a guiding force as we move forward.

Thank you for your kind attention.

2025 awaits.

Take due notice thereof and govern yourself accordingly.

Here we come.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and Mr. Speaker, it's a pleasure to serve.

>> Congratulations, Representative Setser.

[APPLAUSE] >> Mr. Speaker.

>> Representative Bluss, what purpose does the gentleman rise?

>> Inquiry of the Chair.

>> Gentleman's recognized.

>> Mr. Speaker, how are you able, only here a few terms, to make it clear from back there, up there on your own, but it took Representative Setzer a whole escort committee to be able to find his way up there after 26 years.

>> I'll just say, Representative Bluss, that he and I both do whatever Representative Howard tells us to do, and it worked out.

[LAUGH] >> Members, the next order of business will be the election of a principal clerk.

I declare the floor open to nominations for principal clerks of the House of Representatives.

Gentleman from Columbus, Representative Jones, is recognized to state his purpose.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise to place the name of James White before the House as nominee of principal clerk.

>> Member has the floor and may proceed.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members, today I rise to nominate Mr. James White to continue as our House Principal Clerk.

He does a very impressive job, has a very impressive resume, and has worked to earn the trust and respect of each member of this chamber.

Mr. White and his team work hard to make sure that the House is ready for session every day.

Mr. White has served honorably for the last few years as our House Principal Clerk.

And I ask each of you to join me in his re-election.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

>> The gentleman from Chatham, Representative Reeves, is recognized.

State his purpose.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

And I rise to second the nomination of Mr. James White to continue as our House Principal Clerk.

And not only does he have the attributes that have been spoken of already by Representative Jones, but I would indicate that one of the things he never does is he never fails to smile and to encourage.

And we appreciate that.

There are long nights, long days here, and he is always the picture of steadiness, goodness, and even temperedness.

And we appreciate his service, we appreciate his knowledge, we appreciate his ability.

It amazes me that he has all that he has at such a young age, but we are thankful that he has chosen to keep his talents here in the House.

And we are happy to follow up on seconding the nomination of Mr. James White as Principal Clerk.

>> Members, are there further nominations?

Hearing none, the gentleman from Wayne, Representative Bell, is recognized for a motion.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I move that nominations be closed and James White be elected Principal Clerk of the House of Representatives by acclamation.

>> Is there objection?

Hearing none, I declare the floor closed to further nominations.

The question for the House is the election of Principal Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Those in favor of the election of James White as Principal Clerk will say aye.

>> Aye.

>> Those opposed, no.

Ayes have it.

The Chair declares James White duly elected as Principal Clerk of the 2025 House of Representatives by acclamation.

[APPLAUSE] >> Mr. White, if you'll approach the dais, pursue it to General Statute 120-5.

Chair will now administer the oath for Principal Clerk of the House.

>> All right, if you'll put your left hand on the Bible and raise your right hand.

Do you, James White, solemnly and sincerely swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States, that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of North Carolina and to the constitutional powers and authorities which are or may be established for the government thereof.

And that you will endeavor to support, maintain, and defend the Constitution of said state, not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States, to the best of your knowledge and ability, so help you God.

Do you swear or affirm that you will well and truly execute the duties of the office of Principal Clerk of the North Carolina House of Representatives according to the best of your skill and ability, according to law, so help you God?

>> I do, so help me God.

>> Congratulations.

[APPLAUSE] >> Give us a hand.

>> Thank you, sir.

[APPLAUSE] >> Members, the next item of business is the appointment of officers.

Pursuant to House Rule 45, Chair appoints Larry Elliott to serve as the Sergeant-at-Arms for the 2025 session of the House of Representatives.

Mr. Elliott, if you will approach the dais.

Mr. Elliott, if you will stand right here, put your left hand on the Bible and raise your right.

Do you, Larry Elliott, solemnly and sincerely swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States, that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of North Carolina and to the constitutional powers and authorities which are or may be established for the government thereof.

And that you will endeavor to support, maintain, and defend the Constitution of said state, not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States, to the best of your knowledge and ability, so help you God.

Do you swear or affirm that you will well and truly execute the duties of the office of Sergeant-at-Arms of the North Carolina House of Representatives, according to the best of your skill and ability, according to law, so help you God?

>> I do.

>> Congratulations, sir.

>> Thank you.

[APPLAUSE] >> Members, pursuant to House 45, Chair appoints Sue Frederick to serve as the Reading Clerk for the 2025 session of the House of Representatives.

Congratulations, Ms. Frederick.

[applause] >> The gentleman from Watauga, Representative Pickett, is recognized.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move that we suspend Rule 52, so I may extend courtesies of the floor and gallery to special guests.

>> Without objection, so ordered.

Gentleman has the floor.

>> Mr. Speaker, members and guests, it is my honor to extend this courtesy of the floor, the family of the Speaker Hall, and further extend courtesies of the floor and gallery to numerous other friends of the Speaker.

Please help me welcome them today.

[APPLAUSE] >> Members, the Chair extends the courtesies of the floor to the family and guests, the Speaker of Pro Tempore Setser, Leader Jones, and Leader Reeves, and to the families of other officers and members of the House of Representatives.

Furthermore, the courtesies of the gallery are extended to the many friends and family members who have joined us today.

Welcome to the House of Representatives.

[APPLAUSE] >> The gentleman from Columbus, Representative Brendan Jones, is recognized for an announcement.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Republican caucus has organized and the following members were elected to serve for the majority party.

Majority leader, Representative Brendan Jones.

Deputy majority leader, Representative Steve Tyson.

House whip, Carl Gillespie.

Co-chair of the conference committee, Representative Matthew Winslow.

Representative Jeff Zinger.

Caucus joint liaison with the Senate, Representative Harry Warren.

Freshman house leader, Representative Heather Ryan.

Freshman's house whip, Representative Blair Eddins.

Deputies will be Representative Celeste Cairns, Representative Brian Biggs, Representative Howard Penny, Representative Jake Johnson, and Representative Dr. Tim Reeder.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

>> The gentleman from Chatham, Representative Reeves, is recognized for an announcement.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Democratic caucus has organized and we have the following members that have been elected and appointed to serve in leadership this year.

As leader, me, Robert Reeves.

Deputy leader, Cynthia Ball.

Legislative chair, Representative Brandon Lofton.

Joint caucus chair, Representative Mary Belk.

Conference chair, Representative Renetta Alston.

Newly elected whips are Representative Amos Quick.

Whip representative, Terry Brown.

And whip representative, Laura Steen Brown.

Freshman co-chairs, Representatives Tracy Clark and Jordan Lopez.

Thank you.

>> Members, the 2025 House of Representatives is now being organized and ready to proceed with public business.

Chair orders that a special message be sent to the Senate, so advising that honorable body.

Members, the chair anticipates over the coming three weeks or so before we come back at the end of the month.

I think committee chair and committee assignments will be announced and we're working on that now and will be over the course of the next two or three weeks.

But as has been custom lately, the chair is going to go ahead and appoint the chair of the House Rules Committee.

Therefore, the speaker appoints the gentleman from Wayne, Representative John Bell, as chairman of the House Standing Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.

Congratulations, Chairman Bell.

Please approach the desk.

[APPLAUSE] >> Gentleman from Beaufort, Representative Kidwell is recognized for an announcement, I believe.

>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to announce the formation of the House Freedom Caucus.

Proper paperwork has been filed with the clerk's office, and the organization has been organized.

The officers elected is myself, Representative Keith Kidwell, to serve as chair, Representative Ben Moss to serve as vice chair, and Representative Jeffrey McNeely to serve as secretary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

>> Members, are there any other notices or announcements?

We've got just a minute waiting on the Senate to send over joint resolution two, which will essentially adjourn us until we come back at the end of the month.

But as usual, we're done and waiting on them, so.

[LAUGH] >> The House will be at ease momentarily.

Don't go far.

As soon as we get it over from the Senate, this body will take a vote, we'll get you out of here.

House will be at ease.