Bill Faison
Encyclopedia
Bill Faison is a member of the North Carolina Democratic Party
, and a member of the North Carolina General Assembly
representing the state's 50th House district since 2005. His district includes constituents in Caswell County
and Orange County
.
, grew up in Knightdale, was educated in Chapel Hill
(AB 1969, JD 1972), and lives in Cedar Grove in Northern Orange County. He is a single father, a teacher, a farmer, a businessman, and a trial lawyer. He practices law with Faison & Gillespie in Durham, North Carolina
, representing people who have been injured by medical negligence and corporate negligence. He has won for his clients numerous jury verdicts of more than a million dollars. Faison is a single father who enjoys a variety of activities with his children, including kayaking, flying airplanes, riding motorcycles, wakeboarding, snow skiing, horseback riding, painting, NASCAR, building design and land development.
In a weekly column called Bill's Seat in The Caswell Messenger and The News of Orange, Faison updates his constituents about current legislation in the North Carolina General Assembly.
In the most recent legislative session, he spoke out on telecommunications legislation in the NC House. Faison said, in an interview with North Carolina Public Radio, that the bill should be called “the Time Warner cable anti-competitive bill.”
“It’s a New York company bill, it’s not even folks from around here’s bill, to keep our municipalities from providing services to their citizens,” Rep. Faison said.
Faison also spoke out on the E-Verify
bill, saying that the bill was so broadly written that if a city wanted to contract with a realtor to help sell a property, or had its accounts handled by a local bank, those entire companies would have to implement E-Verify for all future hires.
“Folks, I didn’t come down here to impose greater regulation on business in this state,” Faison told the Committee.
Faison explained that the bill was too broad and focused on illegal immigration.
"It’s not focused on the common sense of how we go about getting services rendered within a community. There’s such a target lock on who we’re out trying to get that the collateral damage has been ignored,” said Faison.
A list of bills Faison introduced and supported in the NC House are available at the NC General Assembly website.http://ftp.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/reports/introducedBills.pl?nUserID=499&Chamber=H
On September 8, 2011, Representative Faison held a press conference http://www.faisonforhouse.com/Press_Release_Sept_8_2011__2_.pdf to challenge the North Carolina Republican Party
leadership in the North Carolina General Assembly
to tackle the issues of high unemployment. Faison issued a three-step challenge http://www.faisonforhouse.com/001sept_8_2011_handout_presser_DESIGN_final.pdf calling on the leadership to address the issue of JOBS in the upcoming Special Session. Faison explained the challenge in an opinion editorial http://www.reflector.com/columns/bill-faison-amending-constitution-too-costly-676243. The challenge came just hours before the President of the United States Barack Obama
spoke on national television about a jobs plan for the Country.
On September 13, 2011, Faison was joined by the following Members of the NC House: Alma Adams, Kelly Alexander, Larry Bell, Alice Bordsen, Marcus Brandon, William Brisson, Angela Bryant,
Becky Carney, Beverly Earle, Jean Farmer-Butterfield, Elmer Floyd, Rosa Gill, Charles Graham, Phillip Haire, Larry Hall, Susi Hamilton, Pricey Harrison, Dewey Hill, Maggie Jeffus, Patsy Keever, Marvin Lucas, Frank McGuirt, Marian McLawhorn, Henry Michaux Jr., Annie Mobley, Rodney Moore, Earline Parmon, Garland Pierce, Ray Rapp, Joe Tolson, William Wainwright, Edith Warren, Larry Womble, W. A. (Winkie) Wilkins, Michael H. Wray at the House Democrats' Business Caucus, chaired by Faison. At the caucus, the Members heard first hand about job loss. Following the caucus, a press conference was held to discuss the Faison Jobs Plan.
On September 14, 2011, President Obama came to Raleigh to talk about his Jobs Plan. Faison's post-event interview has been carried statewide.
and Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue as candidates, Faison declined to run. Lt. Governor Perdue eventually won the primary.
In 2011 Bill Faison readily admitted he was "covering a little bit of ground lately" for a lonely state lawmaker who represents a mostly rural district.
The Efland
Democrat has appeared recently at Occupy Raleigh, a major Lillian's List fundraiser and a Democratic fundraiser in Mecklenburg County
. And Faison's name appears prominently as a top sponsor of the N.C. Democratic Party's big Western Gala on Oct. 22 in Asheville—the only elected official on the list.
Faison dodged numerous other questions about his political plans or motivations. But Democratic operatives suggest he is trying to make himself the heir to the gubernatorial throne should Perdue not run, which is remote but not impossible given the specter of possible indictments against former top aides related to campaign finance
violations from her 2008 run.
North Carolina Democratic Party
The North Carolina Democratic Party is the North Carolina affiliate of the national Democratic Party in the United States. It is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. They are located in the historic Goodwin house which is located in the downtown area of Raleigh at 220 Hillsborough Street...
, and a member of the North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
representing the state's 50th House district since 2005. His district includes constituents in Caswell County
Caswell County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,501 people, 8,670 households, and 6,398 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 9,601 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...
and Orange County
Orange County, North Carolina
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,801. Its county seat is Hillsborough...
.
Early Life, Career
Faison was born in RaleighRaleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, grew up in Knightdale, was educated in Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
(AB 1969, JD 1972), and lives in Cedar Grove in Northern Orange County. He is a single father, a teacher, a farmer, a businessman, and a trial lawyer. He practices law with Faison & Gillespie in Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, representing people who have been injured by medical negligence and corporate negligence. He has won for his clients numerous jury verdicts of more than a million dollars. Faison is a single father who enjoys a variety of activities with his children, including kayaking, flying airplanes, riding motorcycles, wakeboarding, snow skiing, horseback riding, painting, NASCAR, building design and land development.
Legislative career
Currently representing Caswell County and most of Orange County in the NC House, Faison has served as: Chairman of the House Democrats’ Business Caucus, Chairman of the House Study Committee on Rural Highspeed Internet Access, Chairman of the Ways and Means/Broadband Connectivity Committee, Vice Chairman of Judiciary III Committee Vice Chairman of the Public Utilities Committee, Vice Chairman of the Agriculture and Energy Committee, Member of the Finance Committee, Member of the House Study Committee on 911 Funding Formula, Member of the House Study Committee on Coyote Nuisance Abatement, Member of the Insurance Committee, Member of the Joint Select Committee on Economic Recovery and Member of the National Conference of State Legislators. Faison is a staunch supporter and advocate for jobs, education and health care in the North Carolina General Assembly. With three children in college and on in high school, he understands how important it is to set good policy for the future.In a weekly column called Bill's Seat in The Caswell Messenger and The News of Orange, Faison updates his constituents about current legislation in the North Carolina General Assembly.
In the most recent legislative session, he spoke out on telecommunications legislation in the NC House. Faison said, in an interview with North Carolina Public Radio, that the bill should be called “the Time Warner cable anti-competitive bill.”
“It’s a New York company bill, it’s not even folks from around here’s bill, to keep our municipalities from providing services to their citizens,” Rep. Faison said.
Faison also spoke out on the E-Verify
E-Verify
E-Verify is an Internet-based, free program run by the United States government that compares information from an employee's Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 to data from U.S. government records. If the information matches, that employee is eligible to work in the United States...
bill, saying that the bill was so broadly written that if a city wanted to contract with a realtor to help sell a property, or had its accounts handled by a local bank, those entire companies would have to implement E-Verify for all future hires.
“Folks, I didn’t come down here to impose greater regulation on business in this state,” Faison told the Committee.
Faison explained that the bill was too broad and focused on illegal immigration.
"It’s not focused on the common sense of how we go about getting services rendered within a community. There’s such a target lock on who we’re out trying to get that the collateral damage has been ignored,” said Faison.
A list of bills Faison introduced and supported in the NC House are available at the NC General Assembly website.http://ftp.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/reports/introducedBills.pl?nUserID=499&Chamber=H
On September 8, 2011, Representative Faison held a press conference http://www.faisonforhouse.com/Press_Release_Sept_8_2011__2_.pdf to challenge the North Carolina Republican Party
North Carolina Republican Party
The North Carolina Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party in North Carolina. Robin Hayes was elected Chairman of the party on January 15, 2011, to serve the five months left in the unexpired term of Tom Fetzer....
leadership in the North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
to tackle the issues of high unemployment. Faison issued a three-step challenge http://www.faisonforhouse.com/001sept_8_2011_handout_presser_DESIGN_final.pdf calling on the leadership to address the issue of JOBS in the upcoming Special Session. Faison explained the challenge in an opinion editorial http://www.reflector.com/columns/bill-faison-amending-constitution-too-costly-676243. The challenge came just hours before the President of the United States Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
spoke on national television about a jobs plan for the Country.
On September 13, 2011, Faison was joined by the following Members of the NC House: Alma Adams, Kelly Alexander, Larry Bell, Alice Bordsen, Marcus Brandon, William Brisson, Angela Bryant,
Becky Carney, Beverly Earle, Jean Farmer-Butterfield, Elmer Floyd, Rosa Gill, Charles Graham, Phillip Haire, Larry Hall, Susi Hamilton, Pricey Harrison, Dewey Hill, Maggie Jeffus, Patsy Keever, Marvin Lucas, Frank McGuirt, Marian McLawhorn, Henry Michaux Jr., Annie Mobley, Rodney Moore, Earline Parmon, Garland Pierce, Ray Rapp, Joe Tolson, William Wainwright, Edith Warren, Larry Womble, W. A. (Winkie) Wilkins, Michael H. Wray at the House Democrats' Business Caucus, chaired by Faison. At the caucus, the Members heard first hand about job loss. Following the caucus, a press conference was held to discuss the Faison Jobs Plan.
On September 14, 2011, President Obama came to Raleigh to talk about his Jobs Plan. Faison's post-event interview has been carried statewide.
2012 Gubernatorial Prospects
Faison was identified as a potential candidate for Governor in 2008. However, with the emergence of both State Treasurer Richard MooreRichard H. Moore
Richard Hancock Moore was the North Carolina State Treasurer from 2001–2009. He first elected to that post in 2000 and re-elected in 2004.-Career:...
and Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue as candidates, Faison declined to run. Lt. Governor Perdue eventually won the primary.
In 2011 Bill Faison readily admitted he was "covering a little bit of ground lately" for a lonely state lawmaker who represents a mostly rural district.
The Efland
Efland, North Carolina
Efland is an unincorporated community in Orange County, North Carolina, United States.Efland is most likely the next town in Orange County to become incorporated. The Efland Ruritan Club hosts most of the towns activities including an annual Rodeo, Lumberjack show, Tractor Pull, Car Show and HYAA...
Democrat has appeared recently at Occupy Raleigh, a major Lillian's List fundraiser and a Democratic fundraiser in Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
-Air:The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.- Intercity rail :With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta...
. And Faison's name appears prominently as a top sponsor of the N.C. Democratic Party's big Western Gala on Oct. 22 in Asheville—the only elected official on the list.
Faison dodged numerous other questions about his political plans or motivations. But Democratic operatives suggest he is trying to make himself the heir to the gubernatorial throne should Perdue not run, which is remote but not impossible given the specter of possible indictments against former top aides related to campaign finance
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
violations from her 2008 run.
External links
- Faison for House Website- Representative Bill Faison - District 50
- North Carolina General Assembly - Representative Bill Faison official NC House website
- Project Vote Smart - Representative Bill Faison (NC) profile
- Follow the Money - Bill Faison
- Bill Faison Faison & Gillespie, attorney profile