NC lawmakers finish flurry of votes ahead of key deadline. Here's what they did.
Good morning and welcome to Under the Dome. I'm Dawn Vaughan, our Capitol bureau chief. Our politics team had a busy few days at the General Assembly, and state lawmakers actually met their 'crossover' deadline early.
The self-imposed deadline for most bills to pass at least one chamber is today, but the work wrapped up on Wednesday before sunset. The House was the last to adjourn, around 7 p.m. after passing a slew of bills.
Next week, the House and Senate will begin to look at each other's work and decide what bills to move forward. But that's days away, and the legislature's work is finished for the week, aside from House budget writers.
Some of the bills that advanced Wednesday would:
Make it easier to access ivermectin. Read the story from Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi.
Ban most homeless camps, except in designated areas. Anna Roman has the details.
Let private school teachers carry concealed handguns on campus, as T. Keung Hui reports…
… and make concealed-carry gun permits valid for life, as Dawn Vaughan reports.
Regulate the pharmaceutical drug market in new ways. Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi explains.
Change high school math and social studies requirements. Read the story from T. Keung Hui.
And protect parents who won't allow their kids to have gender-affirming care, as Korie Dean reports.
And that's not all…
During its evening session on Wednesday, the state House also passed two bills that would adopt new state symbols and restore a fishing season.
House Bill 441 passed the chamber 113-0 to make the loggerhead turtle North Carolina's state saltwater reptile.
There was also unanimous, bipartisan support of House Bill 597, which would make the osprey the state raptor.
Unfortunately for supporters of adding state symbols, the Senate rarely takes up those bills, so the symbolic bills tend to languish after passing the House.
Between acting on the two state symbol bills, House members voted 77-35 to restore flounder and red snapper season, after a lengthy but mild debate on House Bill 442.
— Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan
The House also passed a pair of bills aiming to convene a national Convention of States — a heretofore unused method of amending the U.S. Constitution that critics warn could lead to a complete rewrite.
If approved, the resolution would add North Carolina to the list of states calling for a convention, suggesting that it pass amendments to institute term limits for federal offices, minimize federal spending and restrict the federal government's power over states.
Opponents of the proposal, however, warn that it would be impossible to actually limit the topics of a convention, if it were to happen.
Rep. Keith Kidwell, a Beaufort County Republican and one of the more conservative members of the House, broke with his party to oppose the convention.
'I encourage you to not open this constitution to a rewrite, because when you do that, you might not be happy with what comes back,' he said.
So far, 28 states have called for a convention, but 34 are required to actually make it happen — a threshold that has never been met in the country's history.
Republicans have sought to add North Carolina to that list for years without much success. Last year, lawmakers approved a resolution to do so, but limited the convention's purpose to adding term limits to members of Congress.
This year's resolution is more broad and isn't guaranteed to pass the Senate.
Asked about the proposal Wednesday, Senate leader Phil Berger said 'we'll see whether or not there's appetite amongst the members.'
— Kyle Ingram
After a more than six-month legal contest, Republican Jefferson Griffin conceded the race for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, Kyle Ingram reports.
Incumbent Allison Riggs will retain her seat by 734 votes.
Griffin, alongside the North Carolina Republican Party, contested the election results, calling into question the eligibility of more than 65,000 ballots. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers ruled earlier this week, ordering the State Board of Elections to certify the election for Riggs, unless Griffin submits an appeal within seven days.
Griffin, a state Court of Appeals judge, said in a statement that he does not plan to appeal the federal judge's decision.
Here's what Griffin said Wednesday, in full:
'As a judge, I believe everybody, myself included, has a right to their day in court. This effort has always been about upholding the rule of law and making sure that every legal vote in an election is counted.
'I am thankful that our Supreme Court affirmed the holding from our Court of Appeals, recognizing that the North Carolina State Board of Elections failed to follow our Constitution and the laws enacted by our General Assembly. The courts have affirmed that Voter ID is required for all absentee ballots and that you must be a resident of North Carolina to vote in North Carolina elections. These holdings are very significant for securing our state's elections.
'As a judge, I also often have respectful disagreements with my judicial peers. While I do not fully agree with the District Court's analysis, I respect the court's holding — just as I have respected every judicial tribunal that has heard this case. I will not appeal the court's decision.
'I am proud of the efforts of our campaign and our legal team. Thank you to all our supporters and those who have showed dignity and respect towards all during this process.
'My family has given a lot to this campaign. I must thank them from the bottom of my heart.
'I wish my opponent the best and will continue to pray for her and all the members of our court system here in North Carolina.
'I look forward to continuing to serve the people of North Carolina.'
The House approved a Parents' Medical Bill of Rights this week that would limit minors' ability to consent to medical treatment without parental consent.
Under current law, some minors can confidentially seek treatment for mental health issues, substance abuse or sexually transmitted infections. This bill would require health care providers to first obtain parental consent for a broader range of treatments, including these.
House Bill 519 was put forward by House Republicans, including Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, who said it 'doesn't make any sense' that parents would have no role in their child's 'emotional health, STDs and drug or alcohol abuse.'
All but four Democrats opposed the bill — among them, Charlotte's Rep. Carla Cunningham.
Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi has the full story.
The longtime leader of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Karen Brinson Bell, was ousted from her role on Wednesday, after the board's new Republican majority voted to replace her.
Sam Hayes, who served as general counsel for the state speaker of the House under Tim Moore and Destin Hall, will take on the role.
Hayes was made the board's new director in a 3-2 vote, made possible by a law that took effect last week allowing State Auditor Dave Boliek to take control of the NCSBE from Gov. Josh Stein. Boliek appointed three Republicans and two Democrats to the board.
Ousting Bell wasn't the only change Republicans made Wednesday in their first meeting in control. Kyle Ingram has the details on power shifts happening inside North Carolina's election board.
Today's newsletter was by Dawn Vaughan, Caitlyn Yaede, Kyle Ingram, and Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi. Check your inbox tomorrow for more #ncpol.
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