The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, June 19, approved a bill making it easier for former criminal offenders to become licensed professionals. The measure, which passed the House by unanimous vote May 3, now heads to the Senate Rules Committee. Hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians…
House Bill 389, which would open the way for universities to sell beer and wine at college sporting events, is awaiting a signature from the governor. The bill, if Gov. Roy Cooper signs it, will expand existing legislation and also seeks to control…
A bill that would align laws for North Carolina craft distilleries more closely with rules governing wine and craft beer easily cleared the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, June 18. It now heads to Senate Rules. Senate Bill 290, Distiller Regulatory Reform Bill,…
North Carolina’s criminal code is a muddled, archaic monstrosity. The laws that govern criminal behavior are often unclear, encouraging senseless litigation and allowing bad actors to slip through the cracks. Many of these laws predate the American Revolution. And thanks to years of inattention, these laws are scattered throughout thousands…
The State Board of Elections said cybersecurity worries prompted a delay in certifying election system vendors to sell voting machines to counties. In her first state board meeting Thursday, June 13, new Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell urged the board to require vendors seeking certification to…
North Carolina lawmakers want farmers to grow more hemp. Senate Bill 315, the North Carolina Farm Bill of 2019, passed the Senate June 17 by a 31-14 vote. S.B. 315 officially authorizes and regulates statewide hemp farming, among other things. That’s a big deal for agriculture across…
State Treasurer Dale Folwell has reeled in a big fish. With a deadline just 13 days away, Community Care Physician Network, North Carolina’s largest network of independent physician clinics, announced Monday, June 17, it signed on to the State Health Plan’s…
As Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law a compromise between craft brewers and N.C. beer distributors, several other proposed alcohol reforms remain in play within the General Assembly. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, analyzes the prospects for additional reforms during this legislative session. As Medicaid expansion continues to play a…
Andrew Ross, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Afghanistan, in January was working private security for a cross-country delivery of hemp. Ross’s task was simple: Guard a truckload of state-approved industrial hemp, grown in Kentucky, and bound for Colorado. Ross was pulled over…
Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses a compromise between N.C. craft brewers and beer distributors. Henderson offered these comments during an interview with Donna Martinez for Carolina Journal Radio.
