Some contracts entered into by the State Ports Authority would no longer be public records under a bill filed last week.
Senate Bill 194 would exempt “usage contracts” of the State Ports Authority from the public record. The bill was introduced last week in the Senate by Mike Lee, of Wilmington, who is a former chairman of the ports authority.
The bill defines usage contracts as those “involving terminal services related to maritime activities, including dockage, wharfage, cargo handling, storage, ro-ro service, trasnporation drayage, and other miscellaneous port services.”
Lee told WECT television that the change would prevent ports in other states from using the contracts to compete against North Carolina’s ports.
See coverage from WECT here.