Legislative success is the result of a keen focus on building consensus, professional leadership, and positive political efforts.
NCRMA members have the exclusive benefit to call on our legislative team at any time – we work on your behalf, meeting directly with state lawmakers and regulators to assist you so that elected officials understand how their actions affect businesses in our state. Whether it is the passage of positive legislation or stopping legislation that could negatively impact your business through taxes, regulations or fees, we are in your corner. Because so many laws impact the retail industry, NCRMA is keenly interested in myriad state legislative and regulatory actions. For example:
- As business owners, retail merchants are concerned about tax issues such as corporate income, privilege license taxes, unemployment, and sales and use tax.
- Supporting strong laws against organized retail theft and a fair legal climate keeps NCRMA before the Judiciary Committees.
- NCRMA stays attuned to issues impacting pharmacies from product regulations to Medicaid reimbursement.
- As employers, retailers are concerned about employee health and safety issues and legislation that impacts employer-employee relations.
- Efficient delivery of goods to our stores (and customers) makes transportation an important component of a strong retail industry.
- Alcohol, tobacco and food safety issues are also of great interest to the grocery and restaurant industries.
- Store operations issue can be anything from locksmith licensing to plastic bag restrictions and NCRMA stays on top of it all on your behalf.
Andy Ellen
President and General Counsel
Andy Ellen came to NCRMA as general counsel in 1998 and took on the additional role of president in 2012. Andy has overall responsibility for leading NCRMA and its 12 affiliated companies. He is passionate about achieving the Association’s mission of promoting a positive legislative and regulatory environment for the retail industry in order to enhance members’ opportunities for success. Andy has been named multiple time to both the Power List by Business North Carolina and as one of the top five most effective lobbyists in North Carolina by the North Carolina Public Policy Institute. He was honored by the National Retail Federation as the State Retail Association Executive, has been a recipient of the Triangle Business Journal’s Corporate Counsel Awards and leads the NCRMA team that was ranked as a top Government Affairs Association by the Southern Political Report. Originally from Southern Pines, North Carolina, Andy is a graduate of Elon University and was named a Distinguished Alumni in 2018. He received his Juris Doctorate from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University and is licensed to practice law in North Carolina. Andy and his wife, Tricia, live in Wake Forest. They have two daughters, Julia and Jenna.
About Andy
Elizabeth Robinson
Senior Vice President
Elizabeth advances the government relations efforts for NCRMA, having lobbied the North Carolina General Assembly and regulatory bodies to advocate for a positive business climate for retailers in North Carolina since 2006. In addition, Elizabeth oversees Emergency Management response efforts for retail, the Carolinas Organized Retail Crime Alliance and other Association activities. Prior to joining NCRMA, Elizabeth served as Director of Government Relations for the NC Chamber of Commerce after working as an associate lobbyist with Roger Bone & Associates for various business clients. Elizabeth received the Triangle Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award in 2019 and served as the 2017-2018 President of the North Carolina Professional Lobbyists Association as well as a past president of the Young Lobbyists Association. She also serves as a President of NCRMA affiliated entities 209 Retail Partners LLC and Total Quality Management, Inc. Graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a double-major in Public Policy Analysis and Political Science, Elizabeth is married to John and lives in Raleigh with their two children, William & Emily.
About ElizabethNCRMA’s Recent Legislative Successes
There are few North Carolina associations as well-respected and effective as the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association. If there is a legislative issue that is important to the business community being debated at the North Carolina General Assembly, legislators from both parties make sure they have NCRMA at the table providing input and getting the job done.
North Carolina continues to see tremendous population growth and now ranks as the ninth largest state. As such, It is vitally important that you, the retailer, has a voice on issues that matter to the success of your retail business. NCRMA ensures that the retail industry’s voice is heard loud and clear in the North Carolina General Assembly. Over its 120-plus year history, NCRMA’s advocacy program has been second-to-none and this success continued in the 2023-2024 legislative session.
Organized Retail Crime
Business Operations
- Preempted any local ordinance on auxiliary containers (plastic bags, Styrofoam containers, straws, utensils) or tax or fees on these items and the regulations of shopping carts. (HB 259)
- Represented retailers in the future of transportation funding stakeholder process, holding off measures on proposed delivery service fees and use of taxes on auto parts and auto services. (SB 354)
- Expanded eligibility and streamlined administration for the $250,000 RISE Up retail industry credentialing program to develop a workforce pipeline for retailers to anyone enrolled in an NC Community College. (HB 259)
- Passed legislation preventing local governments from adopting any ordinance that prohibits any certain type of energy service or limits the sale, purchase, or installation of an appliance included under the definition of "white goods." (HB 130)
- Defeated legislation mandating increased minimum wage, paid sick leave and predictive scheduling. (Various Bills)
- Supported an increase in the maximum amount of insurance issued by the North Carolina Beach Plan to ensure properties were not underinsured and insurance remains accessible and affordable. (SB 452)
Workers’ Compensation, Tort, and Unemployment Insurance
- Defeated attempts by plaintiff’s attorneys to significantly alter North Carolina rules of evidence on billed v. paid medical damages. (HB 161)
- Led the coalition, along with the North Carolina Home Builders Association and North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, to legislatively overturn two Court of Appeals decisions and retroactively reinstate the 500-week cap on temporary total disability in the workers’ compensation system. (HB 259)
- Spearheaded the confirmation of Chairman Phil Baddour to the North Carolina Industrial Commission (workers’ compensation) and Theresa Stephenson to the NC Board of Review (unemployment compensation). (SJR 220, SJR 221)
Alcohol and Tobacco
- Passed legislation clarifying that a tobacco retailer is not deemed to be a distributor for using a third-party delivery service, and therefore is exempt from the Department of Revenue additional licensure and reporting requirements. (SB 174)
- Led the legislative and legal efforts to challenge the legality of split-case fees on wine being charged by wine wholesalers leading to a decision by the ABC Commission that split-case fees by the bottle are an illegal quantity discount.
Pharmacy
- Passed legislation to allow immunizing pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy interns to administer vaccines. (SB 206)
- Extended the authority of the State Health Director to issue a statewide standing order so pharmacists can be reimbursed by NC Medicaid through December 31, 2024. (HB 190)
- Restored objective criteria for the Medicaid Lock-In program balancing Medicaid recipients' use of controlled substances. (HB 259)