The major presidential contenders thrust North Carolina back into the national spotlight earlier this month, when both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump campaigned in the Tar Heel State on the same day. Clinton had some help from President Obama, who made the Queen City the site of his first official campaign stop with Clinton since she wrapped up the Democratic nomination. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson analyzes North Carolina’s role in the presidential race. One of the last fights of this year’s legislative session involved a reignited debate over renewable energy tax credits. The annual state farm bill extended credits for three more years for a single company building a renewable energy facility in eastern North Carolina. N.C. House Republicans debated the merits of that extension. You’ll hear highlights from their discussion. Another late debate focused on the future of elections in Asheville. Powerful Senate Rules Committee chairman Tom Apodaca pushed to change the election process. He supported new election districts that would help residents of South Asheville select a candidate of their choice. The rest of Asheville’s legislative delegation opposed the plan, and the state House voted down the idea in the legislative session’s closing hours. The final days of the 2016 legislative session featured debate about the state’s proper response to local governments that flout state immigration laws. Some lawmakers wanted to take state funding away from cities and counties that intentionally violate state immigration rules. You’ll hear highlights from the state Senate’s debate on the topic. Lawmakers made one of their earliest exits from Raleigh in recent memory. They adjourned the legislative session on July 1, the first day of the new fiscal year. Becki Gray, John Locke Foundation vice president for outreach, assesses key accomplishments from the 2016 legislative session and highlights issues left on the table for lawmakers to address when they return to work in 2017.
Presidential candidates shine spotlight on North Carolina
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