ROCKINGHAM — The N.C. House of Representatives voted unanimously last week to approve Rep. Ken Goodman’s nomination to the North Carolina Industrial Commission and the Senate is expected to vote this week.

Gov. Roy Cooper nominated Goodman to fill a vacant “employer” seat on the six-person commission last month. If confirmed, Goodman would vacate his seat representing District 66, effective May 1.

The Democratic parties for each county in District 66, which includes all of Richmond and Montgomery counties and part of Stanly County, will recommend candidates to the governor to fill out the rest of Goodman’s term. The governor will then appoint an individual from these recommendations, according to North Carolina General Statute 163A-719(d).

That appointee will then have the option to run for the seat in 2020.

Goodman accepted the nomination, though he said he was not seeking it. Two previous attempts to fill the seat failed last year, and Goodman believes his confirmation will be successful because of the bipartisan reputation he was worked to build since taking office in 2010.

“It has been one of the great privileges of my life to serve in the General Assembly and I’ve worked very hard for my district,” Goodman said in an interview earlier this month. “I tried very hard to follow what I think is the will of the people in my district and I hope that I’ve done some positive things.”

The Industrial Commission deals with workers’ compensation claims, tort claims, death benefits for first responders, compensation for childhood vaccine-related injuries and compensation for those wrongfully convicted of felonies.

Goodman and N.C. Sen Tom McInnis will give an update about what’s happening in the N.C. General Assembly at the Legislative Breakfast 2019 sponsored by the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce on Monday morning.

Gavin Stone can be reached at 910-817-2674 or [email protected].

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Senate could take a vote this week

Gavin Stone

The Daily Journal