NC Legislature Removes Controversial Eminent Domain Provision from Local Bill
Franklin County’s proposed power to seize property from three neighboring counties without consent has been stripped from a state bill after fierce opposition from local leaders.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — The North Carolina General Assembly voted Wednesday to advance a local government bill after removing a controversial provision that would have allowed Franklin County to seize property from neighboring counties without their consent.
Senate Bill 214, titled “Various Local Provisions VII,” originally contained language permitting Franklin County to claim property in Halifax, Vance or Warren counties “without the consent or approval” of the other county’s local government. The provision sparked sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers and local leaders across the affected regions.
Legislative Response to Opposition
Republican leaders in both chambers withdrew the measure from their calendars Tuesday afternoon following intense pushback. They sent the bill back to conference committee for revision after Democratic House lawmakers and local officials condemned the cross-county eminent domain authority.
“For one county to have the audacity to say that we’re going to come to the state legislature to get the power to condemn or acquire your property without the consent of your elected county officials is absurd,” said Rep. Rodney Pierce (D-Halifax), one of the most vocal critics of the provision.
Voting Results and Next Steps
The revised version of the bill, with the eminent domain provision completely removed, received broad support in both chambers. The House voted 74-39 to tentatively approve Senate Bill 214, with a final vote scheduled for next Wednesday.
The Senate showed even stronger support, tentatively approving the measure 44-0. Final Senate approval is expected Thursday, according to legislative leaders.
Responsibility Shifts to Local Leaders
House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) said removing the provision places the burden of finding solutions back on local governments. “The local folks were still negotiating those issues, and so ultimately, we felt like it” was appropriate to let them continue working toward resolution, Hall indicated.
Pierce expressed satisfaction with the outcome, telling NC Newsline on Wednesday that he was “gratified that it was removed from the final version of the bill.” The Halifax County representative had been among the leading voices opposing the measure since it first surfaced earlier this week.
The controversy highlighted tensions between counties over property rights and local government authority. Critics argued that allowing one county to exercise eminent domain powers across county lines without local approval would set a dangerous precedent for municipal governance in North Carolina.
With the contentious provision now eliminated, the bill focuses on other local government matters without the cross-county property seizure authority that generated widespread opposition from affected communities.
