Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Richard Burr (R-NC) and U.S. Representatives Deborah Ross (D-NC) and Richard Hudson (R-NC) introduced bipartisan legislation supported by the entire North Carolina delegation to reduce the burden on defendants by consolidating Fort Bragg into one federal judicial district whose courthouse is in Fayetteville.
Today, the NC House voted 112-1 to pass House Bill 334 – Temporarily Align PPP Treatment to Federal Treatment, which will provide tax relief for small businesses and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Roy Cooper is leading a nationwide effort in cooperation with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to encourage business leaders to publicly oppose states that pass election-reform laws.
Addressing the N.C. Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Summit, State Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said the more than $4.5 billion surplus tax revenue North Carolina has in its coffers is both a “blessing and a curse.”
Rep. Julia Howard, R-Davie, has been removed from her powerful role as senior chair of the state House’s tax-writing Finance Committee. Howard has been reassigned to the budget-writing Appropriations Committee, where she’ll serve as a member at large.
Today, sixty-five North Carolina House Republicans sent Governor Roy Cooper a letter opposing the creation of a “vaccine passport” or any other form of government-required identifications to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Healthier Together, a public-private partnership between North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and NC Counts Coalition, is releasing a Request for Proposals for community-based organizations to apply for grants ranging from $5,000 - $20,000 (or up to $50,000 for collaborative proposals). Grants will support groups that will help North Carolina achieve its goal of delivering equitable access to vaccines.
Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. laid out a timeline for lifting current pandemic restrictions today. With stable trends and continued vaccination success, the state expects to lift mandatory social distancing, capacity, and mass gathering restrictions by June 1. The Governor plans to issue an executive order next week outlining safety restrictions for the month of May.
Today, the state House unanimously approved the No Veteran Left Behind Act (HB 370), which seeks to help law enforcement better serve veterans who are dealing with mental health and substance abuse emergencies. A group of severely wounded veterans attended the House session and were honored by the lawmakers on the floor during the bill's consideration.
