North Carolina’s lawmakers are moving to advance school choice. Republicans on Thursday, Jan. 28, introduced House Bill 32, Equity in Opportunity Act, to reform the Opportunity Scholarship program. The bill would expand low-income students’ access to scholarships, integrate state funding, streamline the program for students with special needs, and boost outreach to low-income families.
While an annual report from a financial watchdog shows most U.S. cities are poorly prepared to face the fiscal fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the three North Carolina cities examined showed stronger numbers.
A Democratic litigator predicted North Carolina will be among a handful of states to turn blue in upcoming elections due to increasing turnout among minority and college-educated voters.
Attorney General Josh Stein today called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban menthol cigarettes. A menthol cigarette ban would benefit public health, decrease youth smoking, and help mitigate harm to communities of color.
The Constitution Party and the Green Party are no longer recognized political parties in North Carolina. Both parties failed to turn out the required 2% of the total vote for their candidate for governor or for presidential electors in the 2020 general election. (Read a letter to the leaders of the parties.) Voters who register or update their registrations will no longer be able to affiliate with either party.The State Board of Elections will meet on February 23 to decide when to change the affiliation of voters registered with the Constitution and Green parties to unaffiliated status. State law says the State Board shall not make this change until at least 90 days after the general election.
When the General Assembly reconvenes next week, broadband promises to be a hot topic. One of lawmakers’ first order of business, according to Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, will be to pass legislation handling money in the rural broadband grant program.
President Donald J. Trump granted pardons to 73 individuals and commuted the sentences of an additional 70 individuals. Robert Cannon “Robin” Hayes – President Trump granted a full pardon to Robert Cannon “Robin” Hayes. The former North Carolina Congressman is serving a 1-year term of probation for making a false statement in the course of a Federal investigation. In addition to his years in Congress, Mr. Hayes has served as Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and Chair of the National Council of Republican Party Chairs. Senator Thom Tillis and several members of the North Carolina Congressional delegation strongly support clemency for Mr. Hayes.
Sen. Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick) took a COVID test earlier this week because he was experiencing mild cold-like symptoms.
COVID-19 and the ongoing fallout from the pandemic will likely dominate the 2021-22 session of the General Assembly. On tap for lawmakers is crafting a new budget for the biennium plus drawing new legislative and congressional maps for the next decade based on fresh census data.
Committee chairs for the 2021-2022 biennium of the North Carolina House of Representatives were appointed on Opening Day of the state General Assembly.
Senate Leader Phil Berger's (R-Rockingham) opening day remarks as prepared are below: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for that warm welcome and for once again providing me with the high honor to serve as President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate.
Members of the US House of Representatives that serve the citizens of North Carolina took to Twitter and press releases to share their stance on President Donald Trump’s second impeachment. The legislators representing North Carolina are divided along party lines. The resolution to impeach President Trump passed with 232 for impeachment and 197 against with 4 that did not vote. There were 222 Democrats and 10 Republicans for the resolution, and 197 Republicans against it.
