A Senate bill which is becoming controversial and would allow Franklin County the authority to annex property in Halifax, Vance, and Warren counties without consent was pulled from Wednesday’s House calendar following floor debate and is now scheduled for a vote on Tuesday, April 28, House District 27 Representative Rodney Pierce said in a statement.

The Halifax County Board of Commissioners today set an emergency meeting tonight at 6 to draft a resolution opposing Senate Bill 214. Warren County commissioners are also expected to call for an emergency session, Pierce said.

Originally introduced in February 2025 as a narrowly focused de-annexation bill concerning Four Oaks in Johnston County, SB 214 has since been transformed into a sweeping proposed conference committee substitute that addresses de-annexation and extraterritorial jurisdiction changes in multiple municipalities, he said

“Most concerning, however, is a provision granting Franklin County unprecedented authority to acquire property in the neighboring counties of Halifax, Vance, and Warren without the consent or approval of the boards of commissioners in those counties. This bill is no longer what it started as. It has become a vehicle for overreach, stripping rural counties of their rights and opening the door for unchecked property acquisition.”

Upon reviewing the bill, Pierce said he immediately contacted county managers and commissioners in both Halifax and Warren counties to determine whether they had been consulted. They confirmed they had not.

Some commissioners in Granville, Franklin and Vance counties, as well as council leadership in the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe, were also unaware of Section 5 of SB 214.

Pierce coordinated with fellow Democratic Representative Bryan Cohn — who represents Granville County and parts of Vance County — to alert the North Carolina Department of Justice, the governor’s office, and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners about the bill’s implications.

SB 214 is a local bill, which means it can’t be vetoed by Governor Josh Stein, Pierce said.

Because it is also a proposed conference committee substitute, amendments can’t be introduced to change its content.

Bipartisan concern emerges

In the State Senate, SB 214 passed despite bipartisan opposition. “Notably, Republican Senator Norm Sanderson, who represents Halifax and Warren counties, broke with his party to vote against the bill, joining Democratic lawmakers in opposition,” he said. “Meanwhile, Senator Bobby Hanig, who represents Northampton County, voted in favor.”

Water resources at the center of controversy

During Wednesday’s House debate, Pierce said he questioned Republican Representative Allen Chesser, who chaired the bill’s two-person House conference committee, on why Section 5 of the bill specifically targets Halifax, Vance, and Warren counties but excludes Wake, Nash, and Granville counties, which also border Franklin.

Pierce said Chesser, who represents Nash County, deferred to fellow Republican Representative Matt Winslow, who represents Franklin County and parts of Vance County.

Pierce said Winslow remarked the issue is about water resources. Winslow announced in December he would not be seeking re-election.

Pierce said he and others argue that this provision is directly tied to gaining control over the North Carolina-based Kerr Lake Regional Water System, which draws water from John H. Kerr Reservoir. The reservoir spans Granville, Vance, and Warren counties in North Carolina and Mecklenburg, Charlotte and Halifax counties in Virginia.

According to its website, KLRWS serves portions of Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties. It serves three bulk customers: Henderson, Oxford, and Warren County, which currently supplies water to Franklin County, and the towns of Kittrell, Norlina, Warrenton, Stovall and Middleburg. The system consists of a conventional surface water treatment plant, distribution mains, storage tanks and water meters. 

KLRWS currently has the city of Henderson with a 60 percent share and Warren County and Oxford with 20 percent shares.

The state demographer lists Franklin County as the second-fastest growing county in North Carolina, with approximately 17 percent population growth from 2020 to 2024. As part of the broader Raleigh and Research Triangle suburban boom, it is experiencing rapid expansion, leading to increased demand for housing and infrastructure, which has intensified pressure on water resources, Pierce said.

The county has requested that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reallocate 15.7 million gallons of water per day from the reservoir’s conservation pool to meet long term demand. Efforts to secure the reallocation date back to August 2025. USACE first received the request in December.

The request comes at a time when KLRWS is working to expand the amount of water per day that it makes available from 10 million gallons to 20 million gallons.

A possible data center project in Vance County is expected to further strain water supply.

USACE held a scoping meeting on March 26 at the Warren County Armory Civic Center where concerned residents voiced their opposition to the request. The corps will do its analysis until they present their report around September 2027. Assuming USACE determines it appropriate, Franklin could have its reallocation by September 2028.

Concerns over conflicts of interest

Pierce also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving Winslow, a homebuilder with ties to large-scale residential development projects in Franklin County.

Pierce said reporting has linked Winslow to Willow Development, an entity behind a nearly 1,000-acre rezoning project expected to yield approximately 1,800 homes. The development reflects broader growth trends pushing outward from Wake County into surrounding areas like Franklin County.

“Winslow’s professional background in homebuilding – through his company, now operating as Grand Oak Homes – combined with his legislative role in shaping land-use and water policy, raises serious ethical questions,” Pierce said. “When legislation that impacts land, water, and development aligns this closely with a lawmaker’s private business interests, the public deserves transparency and accountability.” 

Call to action

In addition to Halifax County’s meeting tonight and Warren County planning one, Pierce said Granville County’s attorney drafted a letter on behalf of the county commissioners opposed to the request, and the town of Warrenton also unanimously adopted a resolution of opposition.

The Haliwa-Saponi Tribal Council is also researching the issue as they had not been formally consulted. Tribal citizens primarily reside in Franklin, Halifax, Warren and Nash counties.

“I encourage citizens to contact the offices of Representatives Winslow and Chesser to

voice their opposition,” he said. “And I urge residents to come to Raleigh on Tuesday, April 28, to make their voices heard. Please visit legislative offices and fill the House galleries during session. This bill is about more than de-annexation. It’s about who controls our land, our water, and our future.”