Education
NEWS & OBSERVER: NC school voucher program
expanding following court ruling
The number of North Carolina children using tax dollars to attend
private schools will at least double this fall and could climb much
higher now that the school voucher program has been declared
constitutional by the N.C. Supreme Court.
WITN: Wake County Superior Court Judge, known for
state education monitoring, to retire
Wake County Superior Court Judge Howard E. Manning Jr. will retire
at the end of this month, but will still handle some cases.
WRAL: Sorting out the impacts of proposed teacher
aide cuts
Among the many points of contention between the state House's
and Senate's competing budget proposals is a Senate plan that
would cut millions from what the state doles out to school systems
for teacher assistants.
NEWS & OBSERVER: Experts differ on NC
education quality
The opening day of a state education hearing exposed sharply
different views on whether the state is meeting its constitutional
mandate to provide opportunities for a sound education to every
child.
Elections
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: North Carolina is one step
closer to an early presidential primary in March
Attempting to push North Carolina closer to the front stage of
national politics, state Senate lawmakers unanimously voted Tuesday
to move up the date of the 2016 presidential primary election to
March 15.
Health Care
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: ABLE bill heading to Senate
floor for vote
The state Senate Finance committee unanimously recommended a House
bill Tuesday that would give those with disabilities a chance to
lead more financially independent lives.
WRAL: Warning signs for group homes emerge amid
budget stalemate
Eric likes sports, especially basketball. He likes his
two-day-a-week job at Marbles Kids Museum. He loves attending his
family's Lutheran church.
Insurance
CITIZEN-TIMES: NC retiree insurance, pension rate
brought to budget debate
North Carolina lawmakers are looking at changes they say will shore
up important benefits for hundreds of thousands of state employees
and teachers when approaching retirement.
NC History
ABC 11: Governor McCrory signs bill protecting
North Carolina Confederate monuments
Under pressure to take action from groups on both sides of the
Confederate symbols debate, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory
responded Thursday by signing a much-debated monuments bill that
critics said would protect Confederate memorials.
Public Safety
WRAL: Bill to resume state executions
advances
State Senate leaders are moving ahead with a bill aimed at
restarting executions in North Carolina.
WRAL: Gun opponents resigned to firearms
bill's passage
A bill that would loosen state restrictions on who can carry a
concealed weapon and where they can be carried is headed to the
Senate floor after clearing the Senate Judiciary II Committee on
Thursday morning.
Regulatory Reform
NEWS & RECORD: Lawmakers get an earful from public on proposed
regulations
Sprawling changes to North Carolina's environmental regulations
were criticized Tuesday by a contingent of activists, lobbyists and
attorneys speaking at the first public comment session for the
proposed bill.
WWAY: NC Senate passes new rules for ridesharing
services like Uber
A deal brokered between North Carolina lawmakers and ridesharing
services such as Uber and Lyft to place regulations on the
app-based companies has passed the Senate and will go to the
House.
TWC NEWS: NC House Votes to End Emissions Tests in
Some Counties
Drivers in more than half of the 48 North Carolina counties that
require vehicle emissions tests may soon be able to skip them.
State Budget & Taxes
CITIZEN-TIMES: NC leaders differ on which roads to
build, how to pay
Disagreements in Raleigh over how to pay for transportation
improvements and which roads need work could change the list of WNC
highways in line to be widened, straightened or replaced.
WRAL: Cities, counties balk at home builder tax
exemption
Municipal and county representatives spoke out Wednesday against a
bill that would exempt new homes in builder inventories from
property taxes for up to three years.
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: Fellow Republicans test NC
Gov. Pat McCrory
Gov. Pat McCrory has had better weeks.
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