NC Policy Update | neighborsoncall

Neighbors on Call’s NC Policy Update for 2/7/22

Fair Representation

On Friday the North Carolina Supreme Court issued a 4-3 decision along party lines striking down the state’s new political district maps. In an order authored by Democratic Justice Robin Hudson, the court found the Republican-drawn maps, which would have heavily favored Republicans in both U.S. Congressional and state legislative races, violated the North Carolina State Constitution – specifically “the free elections clause, the equal protection clause, the free speech clause, and the freedom of assembly clause.” The court ruled that the NCGA and plaintiffs will have until February 18 to submit proposed remedial maps to the trial court that previously heard the case, and that the trial court will then “approve or adopt” compliant new maps by February 23, one day before candidate filing for the already delayed primaries is set to begin.

Health Care Policy

“North Carolina women can now get hormonal birth control without a doctor’s prescription — a change that will give millions of women easier access to some of the most common contraceptives that prevent pregnancy. Under a new law, passed by the state’s Republican-controlled legislature and signed by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, North Carolina joins more than a dozen other states in allowing pharmacists to dispense birth control pills and patches without the signature of a patient’s physician.”

Fair Representation

On Friday Governor Cooper vetoed a bill that would push forward the state’s 2022 primary elections from May 17 to June 7. Republican legislators passed SB 605 on January 19, without any support from Democrats, to allow the GOP more time to redraw voting maps if the state Supreme Court finds recently approved voting maps unconstitutional. The court case will effectively determine the state’s voting maps through 2030. State election officials have indicated that final maps need to be in place by Feb. 18 to meet a primary date of May 17. State law requires lawmakers to have a minimum of two weeks to redraw voting maps. If the court finds that the maps need to be redrawn and chooses not to further delay the primaries, it could appoint an independent expert to draw new maps before the Feb. 18 deadline. SB 605 would have given the GOP a better chance to keep control of the redistricting process, but they are unlikely to have the votes to override the governor’s veto.

Fair Representation

On Wednesday the NC General Assembly passed a bill to delay 2022 primaries to June 7. HB 605, which was introduced the same day and passed both chambers on a party-line vote, was drafted by Republicans to allow them more time to redraw legislative maps in the event current maps are struck down by the NC Supreme Court. Democrats objected to the bill as premature, especially given that the NC Supreme Court had already delayed primaries to May 17 to make time for the case. Gov. Cooper may veto the bill.

Education Policy

On Tuesday Governor Cooper issued a proclamation declaring this week “North Carolina School Choice Week.” Given Cooper’s previous opposition to private school vouchers and concerns about charter school expansion, this proclamation was unexpected. A spokesperson for Cooper’s office indicated that the proclamation was issued in response to a request from the NC Association for Public Charter Schools, and that honoring educators for their work during the difficult conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic is a priority.