Latest news with #NatalieMurdock
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why NC Helene funding bill could be stalled in General Assembly
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — More than $450 million in Helene relief funding could be held up in the North Carolina General Assembly if Senators decide to incorporate it in the budget instead of passing it as a separate bill. House members passed the $464 million relief measure as a standalone bill on Thursday, meaning it could just go on to the Senate, be passed, and then immediately head to the Governor's desk. But top Senators may negotiate the funding as part of the overall budget instead. Those negotiations can take weeks, meaning the funding could be stalled. 'However they decide to do it, we just need to get it done. We don't know what's going to happen with federal support and we just need to get those resources to the people of western North Carolina,' said Senator Natalie Murdock. Top Representatives say they're hopeful negotiations on the budget will go smoothly with the Senate. 'As in the past, there will be a give or take on certain areas, areas that are priorities for each of the chambers, so you know in order to get anything done in here especially a budget with so much in it, you have to compromise on each side,' Representative Destin Hall said. But some Senate Democrats are less optimistic and say the Helene funding shouldn't be caught in the crossfire. 'I think it should be a separate bill since it looks like the budget is more controversial than maybe any of us would've wanted it to be,' Senator Julie Mayfield said. Lawmakers won't be back in Raleigh until the first week of June to start those negotiations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
01-04-2025
- Health
- Axios
NC bills target state-funded anti-abortion clinics
Two bills in the North Carolina legislature aim to cut millions in state funding that's going toward crisis pregnancy centers, often described as anti-abortion clinics. Why it matters: Over the past decade, taxpayer money going to crisis pregnancy centers in North Carolina has surged from $300,000 a year to more than $12 million, an investigation by The Assembly found. These clinics are often criticized for sharing misleading information, being exempt from privacy rules and lacking government oversight. Context: Crisis pregnancy centers are known to use targeted advertising, like offering free ultrasounds online, to draw in pregnant women considering abortion. Many patients have recounted experiences where staff asked about religion and attempted to convince them to carry out their pregnancies by showing sonograms or using other guilt tactics. The New York Times reported that one Charlotte clinic goes by three different names. One woman told The Times she was falsely told at the clinic that she was beyond the legal limit for an abortion when she was still eligible for the abortion pill. The Senate bill, if passed, would reroute the money sent to crisis pregnancy centers to organizations helping pregnant women in crisis instead. For example, Rep. Sophia Chitlik says Durham organization Equity Before Birth would be an ideal candidate for the redirected funding. The organization supports pregnant women with cash payments for work leave, doula care, diapers and clothing. The money could also go toward Department of Health and Human Services programs or extending postpartum Medicaid coverage. "If they want to force people to have children, then they should not be supporting entities that are not giving them sound medical advice," Rep. Natalie Murdock says. The Senate bill also calls for a state audit of Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship, the umbrella organization overseeing many crisis pregnancy centers. Democrats argue this would align with Republicans' growing focus on government efficiency. "If these are high-performing centers, I challenge folks to prove it," Chitlik says. The House bill would empower the state attorney general to investigate complaints of deceptive practices, such as a center presenting itself as if it provides abortions and emergency contraception when it does not. Yes, but: One of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Julie von Haefen, expects the legislation to "just end up in the trash pile." Over the years, the Wake County representative has filed multiple bills regarding crisis pregnancy centers and budget amendments to redirect funding, to no avail.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NC bill passes to allow concealed carry without a permit
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The push to make it easier to carry guns in public has passed the North Carolina Senate, but not without hours of debate. 'It's not a freedom to carry bill, it's a freedom to kill bill,' Senator Natalie Murdock said of Senate Bill 50, which eliminates the need for a permit to carry a concealed weapon in public. 'Nobody wants to shoot and kill anyone,' Senator Eddie Settle said. 'We don't want to have to carry one but as long as evil is in this world, it's going to be there and the evil are the ones who are going to get guns regardless of any laws that we make.' Republican supporters of the bill say it simply allows law abiding citizens to exercise their Second Amendment and keep their families safe. Democrats say it puts everyone in danger. 'It is shameful that we are here debating this, it is shameful,' Senator Michael Garrett said. Republicans repeatedly blocked debate on amendments by Democrats, including one that would have prevented domestic abusers from getting guns and another that would charge an adult with a felony if they don't safely store guns away from children. Democrats say Republicans will have blood on their hands. 'When the next officer is shot… then you need to be able to ask yourself, will I have the courage to face that officer's family and tell them this bill was worth it?' Senator Mujtaba Mohammed said. Under current state law, anyone who wants to carry a concealed gun has to apply for a permit, pass a background check, pay an $80 fee and pass a test to prove they can both shoot accurately and that they understand specific gun laws. The bill now goes to the House for discussion there. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
