Both parties should prioritize savings

As the North Carolina General Assembly gathered for its October 2 special session on Hurricane Florence relief, the state's rainy-day fund stood at $2.01 billion. There was another $737 million in reserves earmarked for other purposes along with an unreserved credit balance in the General Fund of $1.2 billion.

School safety panel looks at health, security, technology

North Carolina legislators gathered Wednesday to begin evaluating how to make public schools and students safer following last month's Florida school shootings, with committee leaders promising thoughtful dialogue and plenty of outside input. The first meeting of the House Select Committee on School Safety heard from school safety experts, mental health officials, a teacher and some students, then took suggestions from members.

North Carolina leaders put more meat on Medicaid proposal

Gov. Roy Cooper's administration wants the state's pending Medicaid overhaul to integrate physical and mental health treatment more quickly and expand coverage to more of the working poor in North Carolina, according to its plan unveiled Tuesday. The Department of Health and Human Services released a report explaining how it wants the Medicaid program to look when a 2015 state law directing the reorganization takes effect, possibly in July 2019.

Things would have different with legit districts

Over the last four years, Republican legislators, fueled by veto-proof majorities in both houses, have refashioned the state's tax code, voting laws, and its policies on education, the environment and social issues. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that North Carolina's legislative districts are unconstitutional and Gov. Roy Cooper's called for a special redistricting session, it's natural to ask how state and legislative politics might have been different had Republicans drawn legal districts in 2011.

Supreme Court removes North Carolina law that critics say disenfranchised blacks

The U.S. Supreme Court put the final nail in the coffin of North Carolina's strict voter-identification law on Monday, rejecting a Republican bid to revive the measure struck down by a lower court for intentionally aiming to suppress black voter turnout. The justices left in place a July 2016 ruling by the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that voided the law passed by a Republican-controlled legislature and signed by a Republican governor.

Supreme Court rejects appeal over NC voter ID law

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal to reinstate North Carolina's voter identification law, which a lower court said targeted African-Americans "with almost surgical precision." The justices left in place the lower court ruling striking down the law's photo ID requirement and reduction in early voting.

Poll says Virginians are okay with “bathroom bill”

MAY 10: Unisex signs hang outside bathrooms at Toast Paninoteca on May 10, 2016 in Durham, North Carolina. Debate over transgender bathroom access spreads nationwide as the U.S. Department of Justice countersues North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory from enforcing the provisions of House Bill 2 that dictate what bathrooms transgender individuals can use.

In era of rancor, re-elected NC Gop leaders talk unity

House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, smiles after taking the oath of office during the start of the 2017 Legislative session at the North Carolina General Assembly in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, smiles after taking the oath of office during the start of the 2017 Legislative session at the North Carolina General Assembly in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017.

Voting Rights Roundup: Court blocks key part of North Carolina GOP’s undemocratic power grab

Donald Trump has won the presidency after narrowly carrying a few states to put him above 270 electoral votes.But according... a- North Carolina : Democrat Roy Cooper defeated Republican Gov. Pat McCrory last year, breaking the GOP's chokehold on North Carolina's state government. Soon thereafter, Republicans lawmakers engaged in an unprecedented and undemocratic power grab that usurped key powers from the governor's office before McCrory left office on Jan. 1. Among other things, they passed legislation to curtail Cooper's authority over state and county boards of election and undermine his ability to make appointments to key executive offices, all of which McCrory signed.

NC governor pledges to expand Medicaid, despite state law

North Carolina's new Democratic governor says he'll seek to expand Medicaid under President Barack Obama 's health care overhaul, even though a state law prevents him from seeking expansion unilaterally. A 2013 state law approved by former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and GOP legislators declares that North Carolina won't expand Medicaid and says the General Assembly must sign off on any proposal by state officials to do so.

In red states, businesses gearing up to fight bathroom bills

Sean Henry, the president of Tennessee's NHL team, is stunned he even has to explain why he hopes state legislators will snub bills similar to North Carolina's transgender bathroom law, which has consumed that state for months and scared off businesses and sporting events. The Nashville Predators team is among about 300 companies, ranging from health-care giant HCA to FedEx, joining under the moniker Tennessee Thrives to oppose bathroom and religious objection bills, which they consider discriminatory and bad for business.

Some power restored to N.C. governor-elect – for now

A North Carolina judge granted a small victory to the state's incoming Democratic governor on Friday, temporarily blocking a law by Republican lawmakers stripping him of control over elections in a legislative power play just weeks ago. Wake County Superior Court Judge Don Stephens blocked the new law, which would end the control governors exert over statewide and county election boards, as Gov.-Elect Roy Cooper is set to take office Sunday.

With one week left in term, Republican NC governor begs Supreme Court …

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has mere days left after being beaten by a Democratic challenger, but he's still trying to restrict the Democrat's power. McCrory is making one more power grab before his term is up Jan. 7. The controversial governor is begging the U.S. Supreme Court, in an emergency request, to stop the upcoming 2017 special elections, The Washington Post reported .

Some power restored to North Carolina’s gov.-elect for now

A North Carolina judge granted a small victory to the state's incoming Democratic governor on Friday, temporarily blocking a law by Republican lawmakers stripping him of control over elections in a legislative power play just weeks ago. Wake County Superior Court Judge Don Stephens blocked the new law, which would end the control governors exert over statewide and county election boards, as Gov.-Elect Roy Cooper is set to take office Sunday.

Failed deal to undo LGBT law marks rocky start for governor

North Carolina's Democratic Governor-elect fights an uphill battle against GOP majority after efforts to repeal the state's 'bathroom bill' fall through The deeply divided state voted Republican in the presidential and senate races, but elected a Democratic governor, making Cooper's job very difficult House Bill 2, commonly known as the 'bathroom bill' has been blamed for job losses, canceled events, and staining North Carolina's reputation He hasn't even been sworn in yet, but several of his powers have already been stripped away by the state's Republican-dominated legislature North Carolina's next Democratic governor faces a tough uphill battle in a state that voted Republican in the presidential and senate races.