Dale Folwell

Dale Folwell
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 74th district
Incumbent
Assumed office 2004
Speaker Pro Tempore
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2011
Joint Republican Caucus Leader
In office 2007–2008
Personal details
Born	December 17, 1958 (1958-12-17) (age 52)
Political party	Republican
Residence	Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Alma mater	University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Profession	Consultant, Private Investor Deutsche Bank/Alex Brown
Religion	Methodist

Dale Folwell is the Speaker Pro Tempore of the North Carolina House of Representatives. He is a Republican from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, serving his fourth term in the North Carolina General Assembly.

His committee assignments include^[1]: Appropriations; Commerce & Job Development; Finance; Government; Insurance; Rules, Calendar & Operations of the House; and State Personnel. He is a chairman of the Finance Committee and vice-chairman of the State Personnel Committee. He is also chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and a member of the Commerce and Job Development Subcommittee on Business and Labor. He was also the 2007-2008 Joint Republican Caucus Leader.

The North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation gave Rep. Folwell a top 10 business rating among all state representatives and senators for the 2011 legislative session.^[2] The 2011 NCFEF business rating report ranked him seventh in the North Carolina House of Representatives. In 2009, The John W. Pope Civitas Institute rated him the most conservative member of the House.^[3]

Education & private employment

Rep. Folwell is a North Carolina native born in Raleigh. He attended West Forsyth High School and received his BS in accounting from UNC Greensboro in 1984. He passed the Certified Public Accounting Exam and went on to receive his Masters in Accounting from UNC Greensboro in 1986. He is a former Vice President and Registered Investment Advisor for Deutsche Bank/Alex Brown.

After graduating from the NC Institute of Political Leadership in 1989, he served on the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education from 1993 to 2000.

Personal life

In May 1999, Representative Folwell’s 7 year-old son Dalton died after being hit by a car as he tried to board a school bus. Following the accident, he and his wife allowed their son to be an organ donor.^[4]

Since then, Representative Folwell has been an advocate and spokesman for organ donation. In 2006, he set out on a month long motorcycle ride around the United States raising awareness and money for organ and blood donation. He set the record for the most miles driven on a motorcycle in one month on October 1, 2006 with 32,978 miles.^[5] In 2007, he sponsored NC House Bill 1372, The Heart Prevails Act. It allows an individual to indicate on their driver’s license that they are an organ donor. The bill also lowered the blood donor age from 17 to 16.

Electoral history

Most recently, Folwell defeated Democrat Cristina Vazquez in the 2010 general election race for NC House District 74 by a margin of 69.32% to 30.68% for Vazquez.^[6]

Folwell ran unsuccessfully for several positions, starting in 1989, including NC state house in 2002, and state treasurer in 2008, before dropping out.^[7]

Political positions

• Senate Bill 514 Defense of Marriage Folwell has been a vocal proponent of Senate Bill 514. The bill places on the ballot a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions.^[8] He has spoken publicly and written editorially in support of it.^[9][10] Folwell has stated he believes the amendment would protect marriage in North Carolina.

Legislative history

Representative Folwell continues to propose and pass legislation pertaining to areas of education, crime prevention, government efficiency, and family values. During his tenure, he has introduced 64 bills of which 26 are law. Rep. Folwell’s bills that became law cumulatively received 3947 yes votes and 159 no votes from his colleagues on his 26 bills.^{[citation needed]}

2011-12 session

After the first half of the 2011-12 session eight of the eleven bills Rep. Folwell introduced became law. Governor Bev Perdue signed six of them into law and allowed two to become law without her signature.

• House Bill 215 - Unborn Victims of Violence Act/Ethen's Law This legislation protects mothers and their unborn children. It creates criminal offenses for killing or hurting an unborn child while attacking a pregnant woman. It passed the House 78-39 and passed the Senate 45-4. Gov. Perdue signed it April 29, 2011.^[11]
• House Bill 427 - Run and You're Done The law authorizes law enforcement agencies to seize vehicles used to run from police. It passed the House 115-0 and passed the Senate 49-0. Gov. Perdue signed it June 23, 2011.^[12]
• House Bill 523 - CHANGE Winston-Salem/Forsyth Election Method The law changes the election year for the city of Winston-Salem and election method for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education. It passed the House 69-48 and the Senate by voice votes. It became law without Gov. Perdue's signature.
• House Bill 709 Protect and Put NC Back to Work The law fundamentally alters the state's worker's compensation laws. It caps the time injured workers can collect temporary total disability (TTD) benefits to 500 weeks (9.6 years). It allows a longer period when temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits can be collected to 500 weeks. It passed the House 110-3 and the Senate 46-0. Gov. Perdue signed it June 24, 2011.^[13]
• House Bill 744 Safe Students Act The law requires school principals to ask for a student's birth certificate and immunization records when the student first registers for school. It allows for some other forms of identification when a birth certificate is unavailable. It passed the House 77-27 and the Senate 50-0. It became law without Gov. Perdue signing the bill.
• House Bill 748 Organ Donation Month Resolution The resolution encourages North Carolinians to recognize each April as organ donation month. It was adopted unanimously April 13, 2011.

The Gfeller and Waller families watch Gov. Perdue sign the Gfeller-Waller Concussion Awareness Act.

• House Bill 792 Gfeller-Waller Concussion Awareness Act The bill created the most stringent law in the nation for identifying and treating youth athletes for concussions.^{[citation needed]} It is named for Matthew Gfeller and Jaquan Waller. The two young men died of brain injuries suffered in separate sporting events. It requires the development of an athletic concussion safety training program for interscholastic athletic competition. It passed the House 110-0 and the Senate 42-0. Gov. Perdue signed it on June 16, 2011.^[14]
• House Bill 927 State Pension Plan Solvency Reform Act The bill requires state employees hired after August 1, 2011 work for the state ten years before vesting in the pension. It also creates a misdemeanor offense for anyone fraudulently accepting someone else's pension benefit. It passed the House 117-0 and the Senate 46-1. Gov. Perdue signed it June 23, 2011.

2009-10 session

In the 2009-10 session Rep. Folwell introduced twenty bills. Eight of them passed the legislature and were signed into law by Gov. Perdue.

• House Bill 436 Ease in Renovating Adult Care Homes The bill eases approval of innovative renovations for nursing homes, adult care homes and intermediate care facilities for the mentally disabled. Potential renovations include converting semi-private to private rooms. It passed the House 99-13 and the Senate 48-0. Gov. Perdue signed the bill into law on June 19, 2009.
• House Bill 439 Recovering Taxpayer Money from Unpaid Ambulance Services The bill saves taxpayers, counties, and cities thousands of dollars for unreimbursed ambulance services provided to state health plan members.^{[citation needed]} It requires the state health plan to make payments for ambulance services directly or co-payable to the ambulance provider. It passed the House 117-0 and the Senate 47-0. Gov. Perdue signed the bill into law on June 11, 2009.
• House Bill 440 Nicholas Adkins School Bus Safety Act The act allows for the use of video recording equipment be installed on school buses to record anyone who passes a stopped school bus. The recordings can then be used as evidence in a trial. The law also creates a felony offense for anyone who willfully passes a stopped school bus, hits a pedestrian and kills that person. The act passed the House 116-0 and the Senate 45-0. Gov. Perdue signed it into law on June 22, 2009.^[15]
• House Bill 557 Future Volunteer Firefighters Act The act allows uncompensated youth between 15 and 18 years old to participate in training with their volunteer fire departments, rescue squads, the Office of State Fire Marshall or the Department of Community Colleges. It passed the House 114-0 and the Senate 49-0. Gov. Perdue signed it into law May 4, 2009.
• House Bill 1031 Simplify Building Standards for Pre-K Classes The bill saves property taxpayers because prekindergarten no longer must be refitted or renovated if they already meet the building standards for kindergarten classrooms. It passed the House 115-0 and the Senate 45-0. Gov. Perdue signed the bill into law June 19, 2009.
• House Bill 1221 Benefit Statement for Employees The bill directs the Office of State Personnel to develop a comprehensive benefit statement showing the present value of North Carolina's future obligations to state employees for pension and retiree health care benefits. It passed the House 112-0 and the Senate 48-0. Gov. Perdue signed it into law June 8, 2009.
• House Bill 1327 School Notified of Gang Violence The bill authorizes law enforcement agencies to provide criminal intelligence information about gang violence and activity to a school principal affected by gangs when there is imminent danger to students, personnel or property. It passed the House 116-1 and the Senate 48-0. Gov. Perdue signed it into law on June 11, 2009.
• House Bill 1377 Safe Schools Act The act protects children by not allowing school employees who commit misconduct worthy of dismissal to resign and apply to another school. The act passed the House 107-0 and the Senate 44-0. Gov. Perdue signed it into law on July 30, 2010.

2007-08 session

In the 2007-08 session Rep. Folwell introduced fourteen bills. Six of them passed the legislature, and Gov. Mike Easley signed them into law.

• House Bill 150 Every Child Ready to Learn The bill moves the kindergarten entrance age from October 16 to August 31.^[16] The bill passed the House 106-2 and the Senate 44-0. Gov. Easley signed it into law July 4, 2007.
• House Bill 454 Identity Theft The bill permits law enforcement officers to photograph people cited for not producing a license in order to protect citizens from identity theft. It passed the House 104-5 and the Senate 48-0. Gov. Easley signed it into law on August 31, 2007.
• House Bill 1372 Heart Prevails The bill updates North Carolina law regarding organ donation by creating standards for organ donation as well as providing online access for citizens to changer their organ donor status. It passed the House 110-0 and the Senate 48-0. Gov. Easley signed it into law August 31, 2007.
• House Bill 1593 State Health Plan/Change to Calendar Year It directs the executive administrator to study moving the State Health Plan to a calendar year instead of a fiscal year basis. It passed the House 97-0 and the Senate 45-0. Gov. Easley signe it into law August 31, 2007.
• House Bill 1688 Amend Combined Motor Vehicle Registration and Combined Property Tax It permits the Division of Motor Vehicles to issue limited registration tags. It passed the House 113-1 and the Senate 47-0. Gov. Easley signed it into law August 2, 2007.
• House Bill 2487 Change Format of Driver's Licenses/Under 21 The bill changes the format of a driver's license or special identification card being issued to a person younger than 21 from a horizontal to vertical format.^[17][18][19] Gov. Easley signed it into law August 16, 2008.

2005-06 session

In the 2005-06 session, as a freshman, he introduced ten bills. Gov. Easley signed five of them into law.

• House Bill 1400 - School Bus Safety Act It increases penalties for passing stopped school bus. It passed the House 111-0 and the Senate 49-0. Gov. Easley signed the School Bus Safety Act into law on July 21, 2005.
• House Bill 1401 - Concealed Carry by Off-Duty Active and Sworn Police Officers The law allows law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons while off-duty. It passed the House 101-5 and the Senate 46-2. Gov. Easley signed the Concealed Carr by Off-Duty Active and Sworn Police Officers Act into law on Aug. 26, 2005.
• House Bill 1404 Seizure of Documents and Plates The law authorizes law enforcement officers to seize the certificate of title, registration card, permit, license, or registration plate when alerted by the Division of Motor Vehicles. It passed the House 118-0 and the Senate 49-0. Gov. Easley signed it into law on Sept. 7, 2005.
• House Bill 1770 - Property Tax Paid with Vehicle Registration The law requires state agencies collect property taxes on vehicles when they are registered or the registration is renewed. It passed the House 107-0 and the Senate 49-0. Gov. Easley signed the bill into law on Aug. 22, 2005. The Winston-Salem Journal reports the executive bureaucracy is dragging its feet implementing the law.^[20]
• House Bill 2880 - No Prayer for Judgment/Bus Stop Arm Violation The law does not allow a person who violates the School Bus Safety Act to receive a prayer for judgement. It passed the House 102-0 and the Senate 49-0. Gov. Easley signed it into law on July 23, 2006.

References

1. ^ NC House Committees
2. ^ North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation 2011 General Assembly Business Ratings
3. ^ Civitas Action 2009
4. ^ Winston-Salem Journal: Story suggests that we really may be leaving race behind
5. ^ WIS TV 10: NC Rep. Folwell completes 48-state motorcycle ride for charity
6. ^ "District 74 Results". 2010 General Election Results. NC Board of Elections. http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC/22580/41687/en/summary.html. Retrieved 13 October 2011. 
7. ^ "Dale Folwell Page at NewsObserverProjects". Raleigh News and Observer. 9 August 2007. http://projects.newsobserver.com/profiles/dale_folwell. Retrieved 14 September 2011. 
8. ^ New York Times: North Carolina Voters to Decide on Same-Sex Marriage
9. ^ Greensboro News and Record: Rep. Dale Folwell Let Public Decide Marriage Law
10. ^ Same-sex Marriage Debate Highlights Folwell Town Hall Meeting
11. ^ Carolina Journal: Unborn Victims of Violence Act Headed to Perdue
12. ^ The Daily News: New law allows seizure of fleeing vehicles
13. ^ Charlotte Observer: Workers comp laws to change
14. ^ Winston-Salem Journal: Editorial: Young athlete's legacy is improved safety
15. ^ Greensboro News & Record: Perdue signs new law for school bus death
16. ^ New York Times: When should a kid start kindergarten
17. ^ NC DMV: Your First License
18. ^ NC driver's license for 15-18 year olds
19. ^ NC driver's license for 18-21 year olds
20. ^ Winston-Salem Journal: Editorial: Tax cheats will finally have to pay vehicle taxes

External links

• Profile - NC General Assembly website.
• Bio - Project Vote Smart

Persondata
Name	Folwell, Dale
Alternative names
Short description	American politician
Date of birth	17 December 1958
Place of birth	Raleigh, North Carolina
Date of death
Place of death