Neighbors on Call’s NC Policy Update for 2/06/23

NCGA Summary

• By Thursday, over 100 bills had been filed in the NCGA. These included:

  • LGBTQ Rights

    • A revival of the controversial “parents’ bill of rights” similar to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would ban discussion of “gender identity, sexual activity or sexuality” in classrooms up to the 4th grade level and require schools to inform parents if children want to change their pronouns.

    • A ban on gender-affirming treatment for minors that would penalize health care providers who try “to facilitate the minor's desire to present or appear in a manner that is inconsistent with the minor's sex.”

  • Voting Rights

    • A constitutional amendment to remove the literacy test from the NC Constitution, filed by a group of bipartisan lawmakers after NC Senate Leader Phil Berger told reporters the offensive provision should be removed.

  • Health Care Policy

    • A bill filed by NC Senate Republicans to repeal NC’s Certificate of Need law governing new health care facilities that could affect negotiations between NC Senate and House Republicans over Medicaid expansion

    • A revival of a bill legalizing medical marijuana

  • Education Policy

    • A bill that would award a $9 million education technology contract without issuing a request for proposals (RFP)

  • Economic Policy

    • A bill that would require businesses to compensate customers if they cancel their appointment on short notice

  • Criminal Justice

    • An identical bill to the “anti-rioting” bill vetoed by Governor Cooper in 2011, which is now co-sponsored by a Democratic state representative who signaled willingness to join Republicans in a veto override.

    • Two bills loosening gun regulations: one to allow concealed carry on school properties being used for religious services and another to repeal the requirement to obtain a permit from the local sheriff’s office before purchasing a handgun.

Fair Representation

• On Friday the NC Supreme Court agreed to rehear two important cases – a redistricting case and a voter ID case – only recently decided by the court. With a new Republican majority, it is likely that the court will reverse their decisions in Harper v. Hall (the previous court ruled that extreme partisan gerrymanders violated the NC Constitution) and the case governing 2018’s voter ID law, which the court had ruled unconstitutional because it unequally harms Black voters. The two Democratic justices on the court, Anita Earls and Michael Morgan, both spoke up with objections to the court’s decision to rehear recently decided cases, highlighting the unprecedented nature of such a move.

Voting Rights

• On Thursday the NC Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that would determine when people convicted of a felony are allowed to vote again. Before last year’s elections, a lower court ruled that formerly incarcerated people serving probation or parole (or still paying off court fees) for a felony conviction could vote, but the new Republican majority on the NC Supreme Court is likely to restrict voting rights of people with felony convictions.