North Carolina’s Version of “Jessica’s Law” Would Not Have Protected Jessica Lunsford The General Assembly and the Governor have gleefully trumpeted the ... Keep Reading
Articles
Baby Steps Toward Universal Healthcare . . . NC Health Choice and NC Kids’ Care
The good news in both the Senate and House budgets is that the expansion of NC Health Choice is again limited to 6 percent a year. The bad news is that legislators want to create a ... Keep Reading
Senate Budget Introduces Continuation Review
The Senate has taken a new approach to funding for select line items, nonprofits, and other non-state entities. All told, 32 organizations and state divisions have been put on ... Keep Reading
Marriage Amendment Blocked
For four years an effort to change North Carolina’s Constitution to protect the institution of marriage has languished in legislative purgatory at the General Assembly. ... Keep Reading
What Lies Beneath: “Hidden” Costs of Government in the Budget
The FY2007-09 budget bill recently approved by the House increases the price of state government by $637 for a family of four compared to last year. This continues an alarming ... Keep Reading
COPs and Robbers: Certificates of Participation Replace Bond Referendums
In light of the rapid expansion of long-term state debt and changes in how capital projects are being financed in North Carolina, it is imperative that legislators restore public ... Keep Reading
Public Employee Collective Bargaining: Bad Policy for North Carolina
Both the House and the Senate are currently considering legislation that would overturn the state’s ban on collective bar- gaining for public employee unions. Extending ... Keep Reading
An Interstate Compact to Award Presidential Electors?
By Brian Mullis Senate Bill 954, sponsored by Senator Daniel Clodfelter (D-Mecklenburg), proposes entangling North Carolina in an interstate compact that instructs the ... Keep Reading
Outside the General Fund
The General Fund Availability Statement of the House budget states that General Fund appropriations are $20.3 billion. This sum is paid with revenues from taxes, fees, transfers ... Keep Reading
Coverage Mandates: Is Mental Health Next?
A coverage mandate is a legal requirement that dictates that all health insurance policies sold in North Carolina cover certain services, providers, and groups of people. Mandates ... Keep Reading