Two presentations through the anti-poverty lens of the North Carolina Justice Center are headed west in the coming week. One examines the state’s economy and current budget. The other features journalist Chris Fitzsimon and researcher Rob Schofield in a series of “Crucial Conversations” on this year’s Legislature.
The N.C. Senate adjourned in the wee hours this morning, holding a post-midnight procedural session in order to send themselves home from a special called session that started at 8 p.m. on Sunday. In abeyance as the Senate members scattered was the proposal to continue the current cap of 35-cents per gallon on the state’s motor fuels tax. In other special-session action, the 2009 landmark Racial Justice Act was replaced.
In 2009, North Carolina became the second state to enact a Racial Justice Act to combat bias in death penalty convictions. Senate Bill 9, on the agenda for the newest short session, challenges the premise of that act.
With a third short session convening Nov. 7, the N.C. General Assembly’s leadership has now announced a fourth: the legislators will reconvene Nov. 28-30. And in further scheduling, January is now the target date for the first meeting of the study committee that will delve into the sensitive history — and future — of the Asheville water system.
As the N.C. General Assembly members gear up for their third special session following the January-June assembly in Raleigh, legal challenges are already in process regarding their work so far. U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles has temporarily blocked one part of the state’s new abortion law, the remainder of which took effect on Oct. 26. Meanwhile, the pro-choice group NARAL is questioning the funding and non-regulation of crisis pregnancy centers in the state.
We reported on Oct. 9 that Pres. Obama might stop in Asheville during a jobs bus tour; the Washington Post had noted on Oct. 5 that the tour was coming to North Carolina, then later noted Asheville was on the stop list; the Asheville Citizen-Times leads with the news online this morning, Oct. 12.
North Carolina’s political climate may be experiencing its own form of global warming. At minimum, it’s already a hot topic nationally. The October 10 issues of The New Yorker and Time magazines feature articles examining politics in this state through fairly strong lenses.
When asked what the GOP-led N.C. Legislature has done to create jobs, Speaker of the House Thom Tillis touted bills that reform workers compensation rules, address over-regulation and cut taxes.
There’s controversy, for sure, about the state’s Defense of Marriage amendment proposal. But N.C. House Majority Leader Paul Stam says there is no “legal” controversy in the ballot’s wording.
The local backlash against N.C. Sen. James Forrester of Gaston County continued this weekend at the Sept. 24 “Sexy Liberal Comedy” show at Thomas Wolf Auditorium, as attendees set up a punching bag decorated with his mug in the lobby.
It’s September — normally a safe time for state legislators who have businesses or jobs to attend to in their home territories. But although the actual number of legislative days in Raleigh is down from past years, the N.C. General Assembly just met for the third time this year, and a fourth round looms.
There’s been some talk in light of the General Assembly’s decision this week to approve the so-called “marriage amendment” that “not much will really change.” According to this line of thinking — promoted mostly by amendment supporters — all their decision to send the amendment to the May ballot does is to preserve the status quo. “So, we’ll have a vote next year on something that’s already barred by law,” say the supporters. “What’s the big deal?”
Whether it’s sincere or knowingly deceptive, this is ridiculous, head-in-the-sand talk. …
Hundreds of people gathered in Pack Square Sept. 12 to protest a state constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage in North Carolina that passed the House earlier that day. Photo by Max Cooper
The proposed defense-of-marriage amendment to the N.C. Constitution took on yet another persona today when the Senate passed SB 514, formerly known as the Nutrient Management Plan.
A new version of a proposed defense-of-marriage amendment to the North Carolina Constitution is slated for consideration today, Sept. 12, as the General Assembly reconvenes, but its text is judged as “no less discriminatory” by Buncombe County Democratic Rep. Susan Fisher.
The controversial constitutional amendment setting a one-man, one-woman requirement for legal marriage in the state of North Carolina has taken an odd detour as a special session of the Legislature convenes. The wording is the same, but it now appears under a bill number originally intended to set term limits for Legislative leadership.
The N.C. General Assembly convenes its second special session on September 12 after a several-week summer hiatus. The primary reasons stated for this third convening of the 2011 session include dealing with proposed constitutional amendments and legislation relating to election laws.
The first Republican-controlled General Assembly in 140 years ratified controversial voter districts July 28 that split Asheville and Buncombe County in ways that are likely to benefit GOP candidates.
On Monday and Tuesday, July 25 and 26, North Carolina legislators overrode four closely watched gubernatorial vetoes, including bills that create medical liability reforms, set up sweeping state regulatory reform, establish new rules for Medicaid and health care providers, and make significant changes in the Employment Security Commision. Late Tuesday, in a party line vote of 67-52, the House failed to override the veto of HB 351 (Restore Confidence in Government), which would require photo ID for voting, but the bill remains alive through passage of reconsideration vote. Of the remaining bills considered for potential override, HB 854 (Abortion — Woman’s Right to Know) passed in the House and moves to the Senate.
Due to a new state law limiting local authority over housing codes, the city of Asheville can no longer require the inspection of rental properties before their occupation by tenants.
The GOP’s controversial congressional redistricting proposal passed the North Carolina Senate along party lines July 25. The plan shifts almost all of Asheville’s reliably Democratic voters from the 11th District, currently represented by Democrat Heath Shuler, to the conservative 10th, presently the domain of Republican Patrick McHenry.
