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HB 536

Motor Vehicles - As introduced, authorizes a dealer applicant without an established place of business to be issued a motor vehicle dealer license if the applicant is a nonprofit religious organization that is organized or incorporated in this state, has its certificate of incorporation or authority in good standing with the secretary of state, and has an established program of receiving donations of motor vehicles that it donates to individuals and providing free vehicle repair services to individuals with demonstrated need of a motor vehicle or repair services necessary to the individual's effort to become a self-sufficient member of the workforce. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 17.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Harold Love

Designates the loggerhead sea turtle as North Carolina’s official state saltwater reptile; a symbolic designation with no new protections, funding, or regulatory changes.

Taken off notice for cal. in Transportation Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 536

Summary — HB 536: "Loggerhead Turtle / State Saltwater Reptile"

Main purpose

This bill designates the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) as the official state saltwater reptile. The measure is symbolic: it names a state symbol and does not, on its face, create new regulatory frameworks, protections, or funding for the species.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new statutory section to Chapter 145 of the state statutes (proposed section §145-52).
  • Text of the new section: "The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is adopted as the official saltwater reptile of the State of North Carolina."
  • Effective date: the act becomes effective when it becomes law.

Rationale and background facts included in bill text

  • Notes that the loggerhead is the most common sea turtle along the state’s coast.
  • Provides basic natural-history points used to justify the designation: lifespan (up to ~50 years), typical adult size and weight, diet (horseshoe crabs, mollusks), nesting behavior (hundreds of nests on state beaches), clutch size (~100+ eggs) and incubation (~60 days).
  • Scientific name provided: Caretta caretta.

Who/what is affected

  • Primary effect is symbolic/ceremonial — the state gains an official saltwater reptile designation.
  • No direct regulatory, enforcement, licensing, or funding changes are created by the bill itself.
  • Indirect stakeholders who may reference or benefit from the designation: state tourism/education programs, coastal communities, environmental education groups, museums, and conservation outreach efforts.

Fiscal and administrative impact

  • No line-item appropriations or program changes are included; fiscal impact is expected to be negligible.
  • Possible minor administrative tasks (updating official state publications, websites, or signage) could incur small, routine costs.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • The bill text adds a single statutory section and takes effect upon enactment.
  • The version provided traces to introduction and committee referral in the General Assembly (filed and referred in spring session documents in the record). (Note: HB 536 is a common bill number used in multiple jurisdictions and sessions — this summary addresses the loggerhead/State Saltwater Reptile proposal.)

Practical impact and considerations

  • Symbolically highlights the loggerhead as an iconic coastal species and may support public-awareness and education efforts.
  • The designation does not substitute for conservation, habitat protection, or fisheries management; separate legislation and programmatic action would be required to change legal protections or funding for turtle conservation.
  • Supporters may use the designation as a platform to promote beach-nesting habitat protection and community outreach; critics may view it as purely ceremonial unless paired with substantive conservation measures.

Sponsors (as indicated in the bill text): Representative(s) sponsoring the loggerhead designation in the provided version included Representative Iler (and in one filing, Carson Smith listed alongside).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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