Among the new bills introduced in the legislature this week is a cap on the motor fuel tax (HB399). The flat tax rate on a gallon of gas is 17.5 cents. The variable wholesale rate ... Keep Reading
crime
New bill would prohibit random police checkpoints
Republican Representative Glen Bradley introduced a bill to put a stop to police checking stations (HB375). Any roadblocks would have to have the purpose of finding a person who ... Keep Reading
Smart cards, mental health workers bill of rights and liquor sales on Sundays among new bills introduced
Republican Senator Fletcher Hartsell introduced a bill to set up a pilot program using biometric Smart Cards to fight fraud in Medicaid (SB307). The Department of Health and Human ... Keep Reading
Bill would allow a murder charge for the death of an unborn child
Republican Representative Dale Folwell introduced HB215 that would create a penalty of life in prison without parole for the murder of an unborn child. The bill also lists lower ... Keep Reading
Another Murder on Our Watch
The recent murder of Valerie Hamilton, the 23-year-old daughter of Concord’s Police Chief, serves as a stark reminder of North Carolina’s correctional system failures. Hamilton’s ... Keep Reading
SB 1210: Athletic Trainers Running On Empty
Every legislative session, members of the General Assembly impose or increase various fees as alternative ways to raise revenue for the state government when raising taxes is not a ... Keep Reading
Even Part-Time Lawmakers Collecting Above Average Pay
North Carolina's top-paid legislator in 2009 earned 48 percent more than the average state government employee earned in the same year, and 54 percent more than the average private ... Keep Reading
SB897: Passing the Buck in the Budget
Sen. Charlie Dannelly (D-Mecklenburg) has the dubious distinction of being the primary sponsor of the budget bill for fiscal year 2010-11. Read the bill, SB897, and the money ... Keep Reading
SB 1216: The “Sock It to the Mortgage Lenders Act”
No one should be surprised that our backwards thinking General Assembly has raised fees on mortgage lenders as the housing market struggles to regain traction after the housing ... Keep Reading
Analyzing the State Legislative District Polling – Part 2: Is It Just “The Economy, Stupid”?
As we move into the dog days of August, the calendar will quickly turn to September and election season will be in full swing. Before that begins, it makes sense to stop ... Keep Reading
