Nearly a month after Election Day, Republican Gov. Pat McCrory’s concession confirmed that Democrat Roy Cooper would assume office as North Carolina’s new governor in January. Carolina Journal Editor-in-Chief Rick Henderson recounts some of the questions about the election process and looks ahead to Cooper’s challenge of working with a General Assembly dominated by Republicans. No one bats an eye when we trade money for food or clothing. The situation changes if we talk about spending money to buy or sell a kidney. Georgetown University professor Jason Brennan argues in the book Markets Without Limits that kidney sales should be no less acceptable to society, especially when a kidney market would lead to more kidneys being available to save lives. North Carolina could benefit from a thorough review of the state’s criminal penalties. That’s the assessment of Marion Warren, director of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts. During a recent legislative presentation, Warren explained why he believes criminal regulation reform would help “right-size” penalties associated with the state’s crimes. North Carolina lawmakers have taken steps in recent years to rebuild North Carolina’s state government savings account. As they try to determine how much savings is enough, they’re getting help from people like Steve Bailey, senior associate for state fiscal health and economic growth at the Pew Charitable Trusts. During a recent legislative presentation, Bailey explained why North Carolina would benefit from establishing clear rules governing when money should be added to its reserves and when those reserves can be spent. Republicans will maintain supermajorities in the N.C. General Assembly after the latest round of elections. But they might have to run for re-election again after one year. John Locke Foundation Senior Vice President Becki Gray analyzes the potential impact on public policy in 2017, given a court order that will force lawmakers to redraw legislative districts and stand for election in a rare off-year contest.