The N.C. General Assembly has concluded most of its work for the year. Lawmakers have left Raleigh and don’t plan to return until late November. Becki Gray, John Locke Foundation senior vice president, recaps the legislature’s key achievements during its abnormally brief six-and-a-half-week session. States across the country face a looming problem: They haven’t set aside enough money to address promised benefits for retired government workers. Leonard Gilroy, director of government reform for the libertarian Reason Foundation, explains why these unfunded liabilities represent such a substantial problem. He explains how a state like North Carolina could benefit by taking action now to address the issue. The N.C. House took a brief break recently from state-centered policymaking to focus attention on an international ally. A unanimous House approved a resolution commemorating the 70th anniversary of Israel. You’ll hear why lawmakers decided to honor the Middle Eastern democracy. A 2017 newspaper investigation found that thousands of N.C. students from low-income families earned the highest possible scores on standardized math tests but did not have a chance to take advanced-level math classes. A new state law addresses the problem. You’ll hear highlights from state House debate of the issue. Public school advocates have complained that the Republican-led General Assembly has not provided “adequate funding” for schools. Terry Stoops, John Locke Foundation vice president for research and director of education studies, wishes those critics would define “adequate.”
Carolina Journal Radio No. 791: Recapping short, busy N.C. legislative session
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