House Bill 337 is a local act that removes three specifically identified parcels, by Brunswick County tax parcel number, from the corporate limits of the City of Southport. The bill is narrowly tailored to a particular area and does not change Southport’s boundaries generally; it only deannexes the listed properties.
The bill also preserves the city’s ability to collect or foreclose on any ad valorem tax liens or special assessment liens that were already outstanding before the effective date. The act becomes effective June 30, 2025, and property in the affected territory as of January 1, 2025, will no longer be subject to municipal taxes for taxable years beginning on or after July 1, 2025.
Impact
H337 would amend the municipal boundaries of the City of Southport by removing three parcels from city limits, thereby ending the city’s authority to levy municipal taxes on those properties after the effective date. It leaves intact any preexisting tax or assessment liens and allows the city to enforce them as if the property were still annexed. The bill affects the City of Southport, the owners of the identified parcels, and Brunswick County tax administration.
Sentiment
The available record suggests little to no controversy or debate around the bill. There are no recorded committee transcripts or votes in the provided materials, and the bill advanced as a committee substitute favorable, which generally indicates support. Because the measure is highly specific and local in nature, it appears to have been treated as a routine boundary adjustment rather than a broader policy dispute.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. In bills of this type, any disagreement would typically center on whether the affected parcels should remain within city limits, the loss of municipal tax revenue, or the fairness of removing selected properties from annexed territory. However, no opposing arguments, amendments, or recorded dissent are included here.