North Carolina Representatives and Senators gathered in the House chambers last Wednesday evening to receive Governor Pat McCrory's biennial State of the State Address. Governor McCrory outlined his 2015 agenda, which includes reforms in education, funding of transportation projects, and economic development proposals. Aside from the State of the State Address, it was a quiet week at the legislature. House legislators temporarily passed a measure that would ask voters in 2016 to choose whether eminent domain should be banned, through an amendment to the State Constitution. After the House gives final approval to the bill this week, it will go over to the Senate for debate.
State of the State
PRESS RELEASE: Governor McCrory Outlines Ambitious
Agenda to Continue Economic Revival
After a very successful two years since entering office, Governor
Pat McCrory will present a broad set of reforms and policies in his
2015 State of the State address.
TRANSCRIPT: 2015 State of the State
Address
As we have grown to become the 9th most populous state in the
nation, let's continue together to fulfill our potential, and
create opportunity for all of North Carolina.
Education
ABC 11: North Carolina school board approves online charter schools
experiment
North Carolina's statewide school board is approving the first
online schools run by for-profit companies and with the flexibility
that goes with being charter schools.
FOX 46 CAROLINAS: North Carolina Public School
Performance Grades Released
North Carolina's first Public School Performance Grades were
released Thursday, February 5, by the North Carolina State Board of
Education.
NEWS & OBSERVER: Study: Early childhood
programs in NC reduce special education
Children enrolled in North Carolina's state-supported early
education programs have a reduced chance of being placed in special
education by third grade, Duke University researchers say.
Health Care
WRAL: Answers on Medicaid expansion waiting on
Supreme Court
Gov. Pat McCrory did his best in Wednesday's State of the State
speech to talk about expanding the state's Medicaid health
insurance program for the poor and disabled without actually saying
the words "Medicaid" or "expansion."
USA Today: Underage drinking pilot program
launched at six North Carolina universities
Underage drinking and illegal drug use are seemingly present on
many college campuses, generating a party stigma that has been
associated with a student's college years.
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: Brakes put on Medicaid
bill
A controversial Medicaid reform bill will not face a key
recommendation vote by a legislative oversight committee
Monday.
NEWS & OBSERVER: NC paying for AIDS drugs for
residents insured under ACA
But this month the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services
endorsed the federal health care law, albeit in a small way: North
Carolina is paying for drug coverage for HIV-positive residents who
have purchased health coverage through the federal insurance
exchange.
Private Property
WRAL: House tries again to limit eminent domain
State House lawmakers have once again given tentative approval to a
proposed constitutional amendment limiting government 's powers
to take private property.
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: ACLU pushes for state law
restricting cellphone tracking by CMPD, other agencies
The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina on Thursday
called for new laws that would stop CMPD and other police
departments from secretly tracking cellphones without a search
warrant.
State Finances
FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER: Audit finds state does poor
job of tracking IT projects benefits
North Carolina state government does a poor job of keeping track of
whether information technology projects are actually saving money,
State Auditor Beth Wood's office said Tuesday.
WRAL: Senate approves funding fixes
The Senate approved legislation Wednesday that provides funding for
two new state commissions and requires the Department of Public
Instruction to help pay the state's legal fees to fight a State
Board of Education lawsuit.
THE ROBESONIAN: NC better position to take on
debt
The amount North Carolina could borrow without losing its top
credit rating continues to grow as revenues rebound and the
legislature has kept to a no-new-debt diet since the Great
Recession, according to an annual report released Monday by State
Treasurer Janet Cowell.
Transportation
NEWS & OBSERVER: Gov. Pat McCrory's roads,
buildings bonds would go to statewide vote
Anyone who has listened to him over the past two years knows
it's the little things that bug Gov. Pat McCrory: dry
fountains, broken elevators, traffic jams.
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