Latest news with #HarryWarren
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘No tax on tips' bill making its way through NC House
A bill that aims to add more money to North Carolina workers' paychecks is making its way through the state's House of Representatives. The bill would eliminate taxes on tips and overtime pay, WRAL reports. Rep. Harry Warren, R-Rowan, is the bill's lead sponsor. ALSO READ: Union County commissioners could adopt new tax rate Warren's bill would also eliminate state income taxes on the first $2,500 of bonuses that workers receive, according to WRAL. The House Commerce Committee passed the bill Tuesday. It now heads to the House Finance Committee. 'There are at least 20 other states that have bills filed to do exactly the same thing, and there's a couple bills — one by a Republican, one by a Democrat — in the U.S. Congress,' Warren told WRAL. VIDEO: Man says scammer stole $280K from retirement account, causing him tax problems on top of huge loss
Axios
20-02-2025
- Business
- Axios
Republican lawmakers file bill to strip NCInnovation's funding
More than a dozen Republicans are backing a bill that would strip funding from NCInnovation, an organization that has received $500 million from the state to invest in research at the state's universities. Why it matters: The GOP-majority General Assembly approved NCInnovation 's funding in 2023, but since then some Republican lawmakers and groups have become disillusioned with how the organization operates and uses state funds. Art Pope, a prominent Republican donor who sits on NCInnovation's board, has been one of the loudest critics. He's called for an audit of its financials and disagrees with how much say the board has on NCInnovation's grant funds. Driving the new: House Bill 154, introduced by Rowan County Republican Harry Warren, seeks to dissolve the relationship between the state and NCInnovation. It would require the organization to return its money to the state's general fund. The John Locke Foundation, a think tank co-founded by Pope, applauded the bill, saying venture capital is not one of the "core government services" and the state is facing other needs, like recovery funding for Hurricane Helene. Between the lines: Meanwhile, the federal government also is rethinking how much it spends on scientific research. That means state-supported organizations such as NCInnovation and the N.C. Biotechnology Center could help fill in some gaps. Catch up quick: When NC Innovation was born, lawmakers argued that research at the state's public universities needed more funding to make it through the so-called " valley of death" — the early stage when successful research struggles to attract enough funding to reach commercial applications. This was especially true, the organization said, for universities with fewer resources than the state's most prominent research institutions, UNC and N.C. State. In its first year with state funding, the nonprofit set up hubs at seven universities across the state: Appalachian State, Fayetteville State, UNC-Wilmington, UNC Charlotte, East Carolina, N.C. A&T and Western Carolina. It also invested around $5 million into eight research projects, including lithium refining at UNC-Greensboro, drinking water purification at UNC Charlotte and neuro drug delivery research at A&T. What they're saying: "If and how policymakers wish for NCInnovation to support North Carolina's world class applied research is and always has been entirely up to policymakers," NCInnovation said in a statement in response to the bill. The organization noted that its first full grant cycle has attracted more than 150 funding requests from researchers within the UNC System, asking for $90 million. "NCInnovation will of course continue its work on its core mission as mandated by state lawmakers in the 2023-25 budget, and the organization remains committed to working with the General Assembly," the organization added in its statement.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Carolina House bill aims to ban third-party voter registration drives
A new bill introduced in the North Carolina House aims to ban third-party voter registration drives from using actual voter registration forms, citing concerns over personal information protection. House Bill 127, filed this week, proposes making it a misdemeanor for voter registration drives to distribute real voter registration forms, allowing only sample forms to be handed out. The bill also mandates that groups conducting these drives register with county boards of elections, detailing their activities. Rep. Harry Warren, R-Rowan, the bill's author, argues that the measure is intended to protect personal information and reduce identity theft risks. 'By providing the eligible voter with a registration worksheet to take with them, including instructions on where to turn it in or how to register online, [it] protects their personal information,' Warren told WRAL. ALSO READ: Local voters gather to protest lawsuit to toss out votes in NC Supreme Court race Ann Webb, policy director for Common Cause NC, criticized the bill, stating, 'This will disenfranchise voters. It's an extreme bill that will prevent community organizations from supporting other community members directly in registering to vote.' Katelin Kaiser from Democracy NC expressed concerns about the bill's impact on communities of color and students, noting, 'We know from census data from 2022 that black registrants are nearly twice as likely to report registering through community-based registration programs as white voters.' The bill has not yet been scheduled for a committee hearing, but it is supported by House Republican leadership, including Rep. Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke, chairman of the House Election Law committee, according to WRAL. According to the Center for Public Integrity, similar measures have been passed in six other states, imposing stricter penalties on voter registration organizations, with some facing legal challenges as potential First Amendment violations. The proposed legislation has sparked debate over voter access and security, with supporters emphasizing the need for personal data protection and opponents warning of potential voter disenfranchisement. The outcome of the bill remains uncertain as it awaits further legislative action. VIDEO: Local voters gather to protest lawsuit to toss out votes in NC Supreme Court race
