North Carolina lawmakers called into special session for gas, diesel tax relief

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — North Carolina lawmakers are being called back to Raleigh for a special legislative session Wednesday to consider tax relief aimed at lowering gasoline and diesel costs.

House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger issued a joint proclamation Monday calling the General Assembly into an extra session beginning at noon Wednesday, Oct. 7.

According to the proclamation, the session will consider legislation “necessary to provide North Carolinians with state tax relief from gas and diesel fuel.”

The proclamation says Hall and Berger received written requests from three-fifths of the members of both the House and Senate, triggering the process for convening the extra session.

Republican legislative leaders had announced over the weekend that they planned to call lawmakers back to Raleigh to address fuel prices. Details of the legislation lawmakers will consider have not yet been released.

Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch criticized the timing of the special session in a statement released Saturday.

“North Carolina families have been getting screwed over by rising prices for months thanks to failed Republican leadership. Yet, somehow, Phil Berger and Destin Hall just now noticed? Exactly one month before Election Day?” Batch said.

Batch argued lawmakers could have addressed fuel costs during previous legislative sessions and accused Republican leaders of acting now for political reasons.

“This proposal reeks of desperation from a flailing NCGOP, not real and lasting relief for hard working North Carolinians,” Batch said.

Republican leaders, meanwhile, have said the special session is intended to provide relief to North Carolinians dealing with higher prices at the pump.

North Carolina’s state motor fuels tax is currently 41 cents per gallon. Revenue generated by the tax helps fund the state’s transportation system, including road construction, maintenance and repairs.

Lawmakers could consider suspending or reducing some or all of the state fuel tax, although the joint proclamation does not specify what form the proposed tax relief will take.

The General Assembly is scheduled to convene at noon Wednesday.