On his campaign web site, Ty Harrell points out that he was named the most effective freshman representative by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research. At least part of the reason for the reward must be the impressive array of key issues that Harrell has taken on during his first term.

Harrell has adopted key health care issues that have become priorities for Democratic legislators nationwide -- such as helping small businesses provide health insurance and improving children’s health.

We can see this in 3 important bills Harrell has sponsored.

A key children’s health care bill –- HB 220 -- would authorize the NC DMV to produce a special license plate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to fund diabetes research.

To help small businesses, Harrell sponsored great story in the News Record.

He is also protecting children and fighting under-age drinking. Understanding the link between regulatory oversight and child safety, Harrell authored HB 675, which would authorize the legislative research commission to study the definition of childcare and the potential need to regulate after-school programs.

In an effort to reduce under-age drinking, he authored HB 1277, which would call for the revocation of the driver’s license of any person convicted of giving alcoholic beverages to, or aiding and abetting the purchase or possession of alcoholic beverages by, an underage person and to allow for a limited driving privilege.

He has also sponsored 2 key bills on behalf of veterans. HB 1415 would provide that a member of the teachers’ and state employees’ retirement system would not be denied short-term disability benefits due to an absence for military service. HB 1414 would revise the law providing for creditable service in the teachers’ and state employees’ retirement system for members who served in the armed forces.

Finally, Harrell is protecting the environment for all North Carolinians in 2 key bills. HB 36 would require commercial hazardous waste facilities to provide financial assurance for the cleanup and for the off-site screening for potential contamination migration in the event of a release of hazardous waste into the environment. And a similar bill –- HB 791 -– would appropriate funds for the establishment of a digital information exchange system for a hazardous chemicals inventory database.

It is amazing to see a freshman Democratic legislator fighting for a set of such diverse, important state legislative issues.