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Weekend reads: A controversial court ruling, GenX imports, redistricting, and much more…
NC Appeals Court: Mom who committed crime while pregnant can lose parental rights By Kelan Lyons Judge Murphy justifies decision because ‘life begins at conception’ The state Court of Appeals issued a ruling Tuesday that affirmed the termination of a mother’s parental rights — even though the child hadn’t yet been born at the time […]
Weekend reads: A controversial judicial order, hurricane recovery chaos and more…
A judge’s order curbs right of press and public to record county commission meetings By Kelan Lyons In Richmond County, where government has a history of constitutional issues, a judge jailed a reporter in 2021. The repercussions are still playing out today. Willam Toler, managing editor of The Richmond Observer, craned his arm to stretch […]
Some uplifting U.S. military news for Memorial Day 2023
Editor’s note: This Friday, June 2, 2023, will mark the dawn of an important new era for the largest military base in the world — North Carolina’s Fort Bragg. As part of the U.S. Military’s long overdue initiative to remove the names of Confederates who fought against the United States during the Civil War and […]
BREAKING: NC Supreme Court sides with GOP lawmakers on elections and voting
The North Carolina Supreme Court issued a group of much-anticipated rulings on Friday in a trio of high-profile cases that will likely have significant impacts on elections and voting rights in the nation’s ninth largest state, and even the partisan make-up of the next U.S. Congress. Together with recent developments at the General Assembly, where […]
An important announcement from the North Carolina Justice Center, States Newsroom and NC Policy Watch
Media Release North Carolina Justice Center – www.ncjustice.org States Newsroom – www.statesnewsroom.com February 23, 2023 For more information: Chris Fitzsimon [email protected] Andrea Dreier [email protected] 919-861-2246 Rob Schofield [email protected] 919-861-2065 N.C. nonprofits announce transfer of Raleigh-based news outlet NC Policy Watch, a pioneering nonprofit newsroom that has helped spur a resurgence in news coverage of state […]
Weekend reads: Republicans loosen state gun laws, Medicaid expansion wins House approval, and homelessness and the First Amendment on trial
In this issue: 1. Hours after Michigan shooting, North Carolina Republicans advance bills to loosen state gun laws GOP lawmakers have passed similar legislation expanding gun access in past legislative sessions. This time, they might have the votes to override the governor’s veto. Hours after three students at Michigan State University were killed by a […]
The future of voter ID, new marriage protections for same-sex and interracial couples, and a rather testy legislative hearing: The week’s top stories on Policy Watch
In this issue: 1. NC Supreme Court issues much-anticipated rulings on voter ID, gerrymandering, and a Confederate statue The North Carolina Supreme Court handed down more than two dozen rulings on Friday, including a trio dealing with high-profile political controversies. The rulings come just weeks before Republicans Richard Dietz and Trey Allen replace sitting Democratic […]
Budd defeats Beasley, but expected GOP ‘red wave’ is more of an uneven ripple
Repubs sweeps state appellate courts, but fall just short of veto-proof General Assembly; Dems gain in state US House delegation, while national picture remains undecided -- Full team coverage At the top of the ticket this year, three-term congressman Ted Budd defeated former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley in a close race to determine who replaces retiring Sen. Richard Burr.
BREAKING: NC Supreme Court issues much anticipated rulings on education funding, environmental protection
[These are developing stories. Policy Watch will be posting regular updates.] After nearly three decades of litigation, Leandro case finally comes to a head as justices order lawmakers to fund court-approved education improvement plan By Greg Childress In a dramatic ruling issued just days before midterm elections, the North Carolina Supreme Court upheld a lower […]
New report: How North Carolina’s state budget fails to address the impacts of inflation
The state budget passed for the 2022-23 fiscal year fails to adequately address the impacts of inflation. Even with federal aid and a robust recovery driving higher than expected revenues, the state budget fell short of meeting the challenges created by inflation running at a 40-year-high in several ways...
NC Policy Watch collects multiple NC Press Association awards for news and commentary
The North Carolina Press Association handed out its annual editorial and advertising awards last night at a banquet in Raleigh and, as has been the case for the last several years, NC Policy Watch earned recognition in multiple categories, including: Environmental Investigative Reporter Lisa Sorg was recognized as the first place winner in the online […]
August 4 Crucial Conversation: Moore v. Harper: The latest NC gerrymandering case and its implications for American democracy
Join us Thursday, August 4 at 3:00 p.m. for a very special (and online) Crucial Conversation: Moore v. Harper: The latest NC gerrymandering case and its implications for American democracy At the end of its most recent term in June, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would hear a North Carolina redistricting case...