A bill presented to the Agriculture and Forestry Awareness Study Commission on Wednesday would ban county and city governments from regulating “the removal, replacement, and preservation of trees on private property within its jurisdiction.”

The committee voted without debate to recommend the bill to the General Assembly during the May short session.

The NC League of Municipalities interprets the bill to mean it would ban local government’s authority to enact tree ordinances, including rules involving protecting trees during construction, preserving historic and ‘heritage’ trees, and protecting trees in municipal rights of way.

Here’s the draft bill: