State Senator Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and Representatives Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, and Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, topped the General Assembly rankings as the most business-friendly legislators, according to a new report outlining North Carolina’s most enterprise-friendly legislators.
The North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation (NCFREE) released the 2023-2024 Legislative Business Ratings (LBR) on Thursday to evaluate state lawmakers’ alignment with the principles of economic freedom. The nonpartisan scorecard enables business leaders, donors, and voters to gauge how well legislators support free enterprise and pro-business policies.
Berger is the highest-rated senator with a score of 99.4, jumping over two points from the previous report in 2020. Senators also scoring above 99 points include Sens. Tim Moffitt, R-Henderson, Brent Jackson, R-Sampson, Paul Newton, R-Cabarrus, Bill Rabon, R- Brunswick, Bobby Hanig, R-Currituck, and Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell.
“This award is a great honor. Republicans in the Senate have been adamant about letting North Carolina businesses – from mom-and-pop shops to large corporations – operate without the government breathing down their necks,” Berger commented on the award. “Low taxes and streamlined regulations have done wonders for North Carolina’s business climate, and I will continue to be an advocate for free enterprise and a conservative approach to building a strong economy.”
All Republican senators scored above 94 points, while no Democrat scored higher than 58 points. On the House side, all Republican representatives scored above 92 points, and Democrats scored topped out near 80 points, indicating a much smaller disparity between the two parties in the lower chamber.
Democrat Reps. Shelly Willingham, D-Edgecombe, and Michael Ray, D- Northampton, scored at roughly 80 points, a strong free enterprise score compared to most other Democrat legislators. The three moderate Democrats have faced challenges from their own side of the political aisle due to their occasional agreement with Republicans.
Reps. Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, and Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, scored highest in the House at 99.7 points each. Other top-scoring representatives include Rep. John R. Bradford, III, R-Mecklenburg, Erin Pare, R-Wake, Matthew Winslow, R-Franklin, and Mark Brody, R-Union.
In the previous ratings from 2020, Sen. Brent Jackson and Rep. Tim Moffitt earned the top marks in the legislative ratings from the N.C. FreeEnterprise Foundation.
“Since our founding in 1983, NCFREE has been a steadfast advocate for accountability in the North Carolina legislature,” stated Mike Rusher, Chairman of NCFREE’s Board of Directors. “The Legislative Business Ratings are an indispensable resource for voters and business leaders dedicated to preserving and advancing a free-market economy. Our methodology ensures a clear, accurate picture of each lawmaker’s commitment to free enterprise values.”
The NCFREE Research Committee convened multiple times following the 2023 Long Session and 2024 Short Session and chose legislation that had significant impact on North Carolina’s free enterprise system. Bills and amendments that were both favorable and unfavorable to free enterprise were chosen and scored accordingly.