Neighbors on Call’s NC Policy Update for 6/27/22

Governance

• The legislative session may end with several high-profile issues left unresolved, including raises for teachers and state employees, Medicaid expansion, and medical marijuana legalization, along with many others.

Fair Representation

• Three Democratic senators in the NC Senate filed a bill (SB 916) that would “make intimidating or threatening elections workers with the goal of interfering with their official duties a crime punishable with up to five years in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both.” - Lynn Bonner, NC Policy Watch

Voting Rights

• The US Supreme Court ruled that Republicans in the NC General Assembly could participate in the defense of North Carolina’s voter ID law against a suit brought by the NAACP. Republicans had argued that NC Attorney General Josh Stein would not adequately defend the law in court given his previous opposition to the bill. The justices voted 8-1 to allow Republicans to intervene, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissenting.

Education Policy

• “A House bill filed last week would give the state Superintendent of Public Instruction control of the State Board of Education.” –Greg Childress, NC Policy Watch

• “State Senate Democrats are calling on state Republican leaders to use state funds to extend free breakfast and lunch to public school students in the upcoming state budget.” –Laura Leslie, WRAL

Economic Policy

• “Supporters of sports gambling failed to advance legislation in the state House Wednesday that would have authorized online sports wagering for North Carolina.” –Clayton Henkel, NC Policy Watch

• “State House agriculture leaders on Wednesday removed a proposal to permanently legalize hemp from the Senate Farm Bill, raising the stakes in a high-profile political standoff that could make a burgeoning industry illegal overnight.” –Laura Leslie, WRAL

Health Care Policy

• “A NC House Republican proposal for Medicaid expansion would require the state’s health department to negotiate for a work requirement for enrollees before the question of offering health insurance to low-income adults comes to a vote of the legislature.” - Lynn Bonner, NC Policy Watch

Women’s Rights

• “A bill moving this week at the state legislature seeks to address a long-running issue for victims of sexual assault by tweaking an existing law against hospitals charging victims for the cost of rape kit evidence collection.” - Travis Fain, WRAL