From Carolina Journal Radio Program No. 787: The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled, 7-2, that the state of Colorado could not force a professional cake baker to design a cake for a same-sex wedding. But the ruling’s long-term impact is not as clear-cut as the result might imply. Jon…
From Carolina Journal Radio Program No. 787: Water infrastructure across North Carolina is aging and, in some cases, crumbling. But local regulations can lead to less choice and higher costs as pipes are upgraded. That’s a concern shared by Michael Power, senior director of state government affairs, Southern region,…
A new report from N.C. State University researchers shows that North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship voucher program for low-income students has a “positive, large, and statistically significant” impact. Terry Stoops, John Locke Foundation vice president for research and director of education studies, assesses the study’s impact for the voucher program’s future.
In May, about 19,000 North Carolina teachers gathered in Raleigh to “Rally for Respect,” an event organized by the N.C. Association of Educators. The choice of the word “respect” was important. It implied attendees felt disrespected. By whom? The Republican-led General Assembly, of course. You can select all sorts of statistics, but many…
State and local governments, occupational licensing boards, and other public agencies will need to dust off their rule books. Legislation requiring all these entities to list the criminal offenses they impose and report them to the General Assembly by Dec. 1 passed the House Wednesday, June 13, and is on…
[Editor’s note: This column was updated after original publication to include recent data.] The latest device flooding schools resembles a flash drive but doesn’t store data. Its purpose: delivering a flavored nicotine hit. Called a JUUL, it’s a hipper iteration of the e-cigarette, which debuted a decade ago. Adolescents, who…
The Senate passed legislation on an initial vote allowing more small businesses to self-fund health benefit plans cheaper than those available under the Affordable Care Act. The Senate voted 37-10 on Wednesday, June 13, to pass House Bill 933. It’s scheduled for…
If the HOPE Act passes the House in its current form and gets signed into law, local police officers will be able to view the medical records of anyone who’s been prescribed a controlled substance. Seen as the “second chapter” of legislation aimed at cracking…
Food handlers are in luck, but their good fortune might not help farmers who were victimized by shady operators. In the current version of Senate Bill 711, NC Farm Bill of 2018, the Senate jettisoned a plan to hit produce transport…
State investigators found significant problems during their investigation of a Cary birthing center where three infants died over the course of six months. Baby+Co, which runs a handful of natural birthing centers across the country, agreed to a voluntary review of their…
