NC Politics in the News

April 17, 2017

Pardon Our Dust

We recently launched this new site and are still in the process of updating some of our archived content. Some details of this article may be incomplete, links may be broken, and other elements may not display properly yet. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

McGuireWoods Consulting News

McGuireWoods Consulting makes leadership changes as 20thanniversary approaches

McGuireWoods Consulting taps inside talent for third decade.

Education

WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: Senate committee passes bills; trying to fixteaching pipeline

The N.C. Senate’s education committee passed this week a number of billsaimed at dealing with the state’s ongoing teacher shortage.

WRAL-NEWS: In new court filings, NC superintendent says state board has‘severely limited’ his authority

In court documents filed this week, North Carolina Superintendent of PublicInstruction Mark Johnson says the State Board of Education has “severelylimited” his authority and has either ignored or denied his requests tomake staffing changes at the state education department.

Election Reform

WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: NC bill would ease path for third-partycandidates to appear on ballot

Sen. Andrew Brock, R-David, introduced Senate Bill 656 — Electoral FreedomAct — that would reduce the number of signatures that third-party andunaffiliated candidates need to get on the ballot.

Employment Law

WRAL-NEWS: House votes to ‘ban the box’ for some state jobs

A bill that would help people with criminal records get jobs in stategovernment passed the House Tuesday afternoon with surprising levels ofbipartisan support.

Health Care

NEWS & OBSERVER: NC House votes to limit pain pills to addressopioid epidemic

The N.C. House voted unanimously Monday night to add new regulations forpain pill prescriptions as well as take other steps to fight the opioidepidemic.

NEWS & OBSERVER: NC Medicaid expansion will have a rough ride inthe legislature

The proposal from four Republican legislators to extend government healthinsurance coverage to poor adults will have a hard time getting through thelegislature.

WRAL-NEWS: House approves oral chemo bill

The House voted Tuesday night to require insurance companies to offer thesame coverage and co-pays for newer, pricier oral chemotherapy drugs asthey do for older, less-expensive intravenous chemotherapy drugs.

Justice & Public Safety

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: NC taking steps to reduce solitary – but has a longway to go, study says

North Carolina routinely puts inmates in solitary confinement for minoroffenses, it too often keeps them there for years, and it too frequentlyreleases them directly into the community with little preparation for thefree world, a newly released study finds.

Leadership Changes

WRAL-NEWS: NC Senate confirms 3 more of governor’s agency heads

North Carolina legislators continue to approve new Democratic Gov. RoyCooper’s choices to run state government agencies.

Natural Resources

WILMINGTON STAR NEWS: Will the NC General Assembly support oysterfarmers?

The state’s shellfish growers could receive a boost from Raleigh if theMarine Aquaculture Development Act becomes law, experts said.

NEWS & OBSERVER: Changes to Sunday hunting regulations rejected inNC House committee

An N.C. House committee voted down a proposal to repeal current laws forhunting on Sunday and instead empower the state’s Wildlife ResourcesCommission to set regulations for Sunday hunting.

Taxes & Revenue

WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: NC House bill to repeal tax could reduce cost ofauto repairs, other services

The state labor sales tax for auto repairs and other services would berepealed under a bipartisan House bill introduced Monday