Demonstrators packed the Senate gallery and hoped to stop the power grab by Republican lawmakers. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar /NC Newsline)
NC legislature approves bill that shifts government power away from Democrats
By Galen Bacharier and Brandon Kingdollar
Lawmakers from western North Carolina leave Raleigh frustrated at lack of substantial Helene aid spending
Republican lawmakers in North Carolina approved wide-ranging legislation Wednesday that was billed as another round of hurricane relief, but instead primarily shifts power within state government away from Democratic officials.
Senate Bill 382 is advertised as the third round of relief for western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene caused unprecedented damage in the state’s western counties. But it provides just a fraction of the spending allocated in the previous packages — instead making major changes to the distribution of power within the executive branch.[Read more...]
Legislation would place NC elections under GOP auditor’s purview, stripping power from governor
By Galen Bacharier and Lynn Bonner
Wide-ranging draft bill also includes changes to absentee voting and ballot counting processes
Republican lawmakers in North Carolina plan to transfer authority over the state’s Board of Elections to the state auditor’s office, a move that will place administration and appointment of its members under GOP purview.
Changes would make it harder for people who use absentee ballots to have their votes count. [Read more…]
Bonus read: Republicans select Rep. Destin Hall to serve as next NC House Speaker
NC’s top elections official asks Senate leader to retract his statement casting doubt on elections
Former Gov. Pat McCrory condemns latest GOP effort to seize powers, alter state election laws
The state’s top election official wrote Senate leader Phil Berger with “an urgent plea” to retract his statement casting doubt on election results.
The legislature passed a bill this week that, along with several provisions removing powers from offices that will be filled by Democrats in 2025, drastically limits the time counties would have to count ballots. Counties usually certify vote totals 10 days after an election. A few counties took longer this year. [Read more…]
NC Senate joins House in overriding Cooper veto of voucher expansion-immigration enforcement bill
North Carolina sheriffs must comply with Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests with the passage of House Bill 10 over Governor Roy Cooper’s veto Wednesday.
The bill will also funnel more than $2 billion to the state’s Opportunity Scholarship school voucher program over the next decade — expanding the program to allow students of all income levels to receive taxpayer funding for tuition at private schools in the state. [Read more…]
Bonus read: NC House overrides veto, votes to boost school voucher program by $2B over next decade
Gov. Cooper asks Congress for $25B for Helene recovery in NC. What his request includes
State legislature has ‘failed to approve meaningful funding,’ governor’s office says
Gov. Roy Cooper is asking Congress to send more than $25 billion in aid to help western North Carolina recover from Hurricane Helene.
Cooper is leading a delegation of state and local officials to Washington this week, urging an infusion of federal money as North Carolina lawmakers lay out far less state aid than Cooper had requested.[Read more...]
Republican NC Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin challenges more than 60,000 ballots
By Lynn Bonner
Challenger seeks to revive GOP efforts to have large groups of voters disqualified at the same time that Republican lawmakers move to further tighten voting rules
Trailing incumbent Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs by 625 votes, Republican Appeals Court Judge Jefferson Griffin wants to have batches of votes discounted.
Griffin has challenged ballots of more than 60,000 voters, according to a NC Republican Party press release. He has filed protests in every county. [Read more...]
Bonus read: GOP candidate sues state elections board over Supreme Court contest
NC State students demand accountability for PCBs found on campus
One year after the closure of Poe Hall at North Carolina State University, students are demanding more action from the school’s administration to address the issue of PCBs on campus, which are linked to breast cancer.
PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyl, were found with levels up to 38 times greater than EPA standards at Poe Hall last December.[Read more…]