By L.A. Williams
Christian Action League
RALEIGH — After a decade of service, Sen. Richard Stevens (R-Wake) has resigned from the North Carolina General Assembly and joined the Smith Anderson law firm.
The co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee during the past two years, 63-year-old Stevens was instrumental in the passage of a budget that included the creation of a 12-member Commission on Human Trafficking within the Department of Justice.
“We certainly appreciate Sen. Stevens’ work in this and other areas and wish him well,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League.
A survey by the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research had ranked Stevens the Senate’s third most effective member.
Sen. Phil Berger, the Senate President Pro Tempore, described Stevens as “a dedicated public servant whose budgetary expertise, tireless work ethic and ability to work across the aisle made him a successful and effective legislator.”
A resident of Cary, Stevens served five terms in the Senate representing District 17 and had earlier revealed that he did not intend to run again when his term ended. On Monday, Smith Anderson announced that Stevens would be advising the firms clients on a range of matters from economic development and regulatory issues to bond financing and state policy. According to WRAL, Stevens says it is “yet to be determined” whether lobbying the legislature will be part of his duties.
Stevens is a former Wake County manager, credited with recruiting a number of companies to the area. He and his wife have two grown children.
