News

Rep. Moffitt ranks first in business association's survey of effectiveness

Rep. Tim Moffitt

By Carolina Journal, Published: December 2, 2021

Rep. Tim Moffitt, a first-term House member from Henderson County, earned the highest rating among all legislators in the 2021 legislative rankings from the N.C. FreeEnterprise Foundation.

Moffitt's score  of 100.5 topped House Majority Leader John Bell, R-Wayne, who scored 99.9. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, and Rules Committee Chairman Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, tied for third in the House with ratings of 99.6. Moffitt served two terms in the state House representing Buncombe County until Democrat Brian Turner defeated him in 2014. He then moved to the Bearwallow community and last year won the seat made vacant by the retirement of Chuck McGrady.

In this year's legislative session, Moffitt guided a major ABC reform bill through the Legislature that eased regulations for distilleries and addressed supply chain issues caused by pandemic shutdowns.

"The convoluted and tangled system of regulation, some of which originated during prohibition, coupled with the myriad of issues produced by pandemic shutdowns and supply chain interruptions, produced an outcry from consumers, retailers and producers to make changes," he said in a recent column about the legislation. "Moving our state in a responsible and thoughtful manner forward on alcohol issues is the charge I have given myself and I am proud of the work we have done this year."

State Sen. Brent Jackson, R-Sampson, earned a 100.3 rating, edging Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, who ranked second among senators with a 99.7 rating.

Ratings are based on “an analysis of the voting records of North Carolina General Assembly members as they relate to advancing business opportunities within the state,” according to a news release from NCFREE.

“Our 2021 Legislative Business Rating evaluates legislators on their philosophical understanding of free enterprise,” said Anna Beavon Gravely, NCFREE executive director. “Each year when the NCFREE Research Committee meets, we ask one key question: Does this vote support business and advance free enterprise in the state?”

“Legislation considered for our LBR predominately focused on regulation,” Gravely added. “As North Carolina grows and builds for the future, regulation will continue to be a major issue for the business community. In this first session of a new decade the question – can North Carolina maintain the unprecedented growth of the last decade – remains. Reducing the regulatory burden on the business community to increase competition and choice is the key to answering that question, and this year was a step in the direction of working toward tough, nuanced solutions.”

Republicans earned the top 10 rankings in both the 50-member Senate and the 120-member House.