Opinion

Five candidates run to replace Folwell

After eight years as state treasurer of North Carolina — and prior public-service roles as school-board member, assistant commerce secretary, and four-term state legislator — Dale Folwell is running for governor in 2024. I’ll discuss Folwell and other gubernatorial candidates in another column. Today, I’m focusing on the five candidates seeking to replace him as...

John Hood
News

Five school boards, community college settle state pension-spiking disputes

Five county school boards and trustees at one state community college are dropping their court appeals for refunds of money paid to the state retirement system in pension-spiking cases. If they had won their legal battle, refunds would have totaled more than $434,000, not counting at least five years of interest.

CJ Staff
Opinion

Lawmakers should close health plan hole

During the 2023 fiscal year, the federal government ran a $1.7 trillion deficit. That’s an increase of $320 billion, or 23%, over last year’s deficit. And the worst is yet to come. The best estimate of Washington’s unfunded liabilities over the next 75 years is a staggering $80 trillion, attributable mostly to Social Security and...

John Hood
Opinion

Republican pols split on Mark Robinson

In the latest Civitas Poll, 49% of North Carolinians likely to vote in the Republican primary say they’d pick Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson to be the GOP nominee for governor in 2024. Of the remaining voters, 41% are undecided and the rest support other candidates such as State Treasurer Dale Folwell or former congressman Mark...

John Hood

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News

Full 4th Circuit tackles ‘very important case’ of State Health Plan transgender coverage

Splits were evident among 14 judges of the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals, as they held a rare “en banc” hearing Thursday in a case involving North Carolina State Health Plan coverage for treatment sought by transgender people.

CJ Staff
Opinion

Yes, North Carolina governors matter

With my longtime friend Andy Wells, a former state senator, joining the Republican primary field for governor and Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan publicly considering a run for the Democratic nomination, now seems like an opportune time to answer a frequently voiced question. Why in the world would anyone want to be governor of North...

John Hood
News

Arguments scheduled Sept. 21 in case of NC State Health Plan and transgender care

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled Sept. 21 for oral arguments in a case challenging the N.C. State Health Plan’s exclusion of coverage for treatments used by transgender patients. The entire group of eligible 4th Circuit judges will hear the case, Kadel v. Folwell.

CJ Staff
News

Government retirees object to State Health Plan’s pursuit of rare ‘writ of prohibition’

N.C. government retirees suing for access to their former premium-free health benefits oppose the latest courtroom request from their legal opponents. They filed paperwork Friday with the N.C. Supreme Court objecting to a rare “writ of prohibition” in the case. The dispute ultimately could affect 220,000 government retirees.

CJ Staff
News

NC Supreme Court urged to throw out earlier ruling on government retiree health benefits

The State Health Plan, Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System, and Treasurer Dale Folwell are asking the N.C. Supreme Court to issue a rare “writ of prohibition.” The writ would block a ruling last year that allowed 220,000 government retirees to pursue a lawsuit for premium-free health care benefits.

CJ Staff
News

21 states support Folwell, State Health Plan in transgender care case

Twenty-one state attorneys general have asked the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to accept a friend-of-the-court brief supporting N.C. State Treasurer Dale Folwell and the State Health Plan. Folwell and the health plan are defendants in a case involving transgender health care. Participating states include three of North Carolina’s four neighbors.

CJ Staff